She's Not Mine
by C.Queen
Summary: So much stands between Inu yasha and Kagome but they're strong enough to overcome it thanks to a well and a little help from Sessohumaru? And in return, will Sesshoumaru learn something as well about love, life and chocolate?
1. What he Feels

Her Scent Calls To Me  
  
***Note: Inu yasha doesn't belong to me, neither does any of the show's characters. The only thing about this I own is the plot and no one else in their right mind would ever come up with it so I doubt I need to copyright. Note I don't know the show that well because it hasn't come to Canada (wahhhhhhhh) so if I make any big errors let me know and I'll correct it. I'm saying that Kagome is seventeen years old in this story so this is around two years after she first arrives in the Feudal Years. Feel free to review and I hope you enjoy. C Queen.***  
  
  
  
Inu yasha lifted his white head to the air and inhaled the scents permeating the light breeze. But there was another scent among the smells of the earth and sky that didn't belong there that caught his notice. It was a light, floral scent he knew well and recognized as soon as it hit his sensitive nose. Kagome, Inu yasha thought inhaling deeply; she was back. Lowering his head he looked carefully around before allowing a smile to cross his face, it wouldn't do for anyone to know he was happy she had returned from her world. As far as anyone knew he tolerated her and occasionally treated her as a friend, okay a lot of the time. But as far as anyone else knew that was where his feelings ended. It wasn't, but he was the only one who knew, would ever know that. Returning his facial expression to his usual bored look he casual walked in the direction her scent was coming from. She'd been gone for a whole week for something called exams and it hadn't sounded like exams were a pleasant thing. In fact she'd sound worried about them and Inu yasha hoped that whatever exams were they hadn't caused her too much trouble. Rather then waste energy flying he continued to walk soundless through the forest towards the well where she'd be. She'd said she'd be back today and he'd left Sango and the rest of them to wait for her while he scouted out the area for any dangers or possible shard carriers so he wasn't in a rush. He'd found nothing that hinted of danger and as he drew closer to the well he could pick up her scent easily along with those of his other companions.  
  
  
  
  
  
"She's back." Shippou cried out to Inu yasha as soon as he came into sight. The fox demon was happily snuggling in her arms while stuffing his face with chocolate while Sango and Miroku watched with amusement on their faces. The little imp was so pathetic, hanging all over her like that, Inu yasha thought with a shake of his head which sent his long white hair flying.  
  
"Inu yasha." Kagome said softly with a smile. She was loaded down by her back pack as usual and Inu yasha could smell the many treats she always brought with her for them.  
  
"Kagome." Inu yasha said with a nod to indicate he recognized her presence. Rolling his eyes at the fox demon Inu yasha walked over calmly and pulling the chocolate from the fox's fingers jammed the rest into his mouth.  
  
"Inu yasha." Kagome cried. "Sit." On command he hit the ground and with a snarl was on his feet just as quickly. Standing right in front of her he glared at her but she simple glared back with her hands on her hips while Shippou hung onto her neck. After several minutes of glaring Inu yasha broke eye contact to look down at the fox demon who was also glaring at him.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Inu yasha said glaring at him since he couldn't seem to hold Kagome's gaze anymore. It was because she was so beautiful when she was angry, Inu yasha admitted only to himself. The way her brown eyes flared up and dared him to mess with her. Being told to sit was worth it if she got angry like this.  
  
"You ate my chocolate." Shippou yelled the obvious, his face smeared with chocolate.  Shippou looked absolutely ridiculous, but that wasn't unusual for him in Inu yashas opinion.  
  
"Yea so?" Inu yasha said with a grin that had Shippou leap from Kagome's neck towards him, claws bared. Easily stepping out of the way the fox flew over Inu yashas shoulder and landed in a heap behind the dog demon.  
  
"Shippou!" Kagome cried and pushing Inu yasha aside picked the small fox demon up in her arms and held him close. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm okay, no thanks to him." Shippou said with a pout as he curled into her arms. Holding him tight she glared at Inu yasha who stood calmly aside to watch the fox make a fool of himself sucking up to Kagome as usual.  
  
"He wouldn't have gotten hurt if he hadn't tried to claw at me." Inu yasha said with a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders. He probably shouldn't have done it but he had appearances to keep up. Besides the fox didn't get enough exercise and he'd simple helped him out by getting him to move.  
  
"He wouldn't have pounced if you hadn't provoked him." Kagome said hotly as she glared at him even more. "You should be ashamed of yourself."  
  
"Whatever. We should get moving." Inu yasha said shrugging his shoulders again. He needed something to take his mind off how beautiful Kagome looked all fired up with indignation.  
  
  
  
  
  
"He's right. The longer we stay in one place the more attention we'll attract." Sango said with a knowing look. Inu yasha had suspected for a while that the other girl was aware of his feelings toward Kagome and she had never said anything to confirm his belief for which he was grateful.  
  
"Well then lets be off." Miroku said cheerfully as he motioned to the left and the right. "Where shall we go today, Beautiful?" He added motioning to Kagome.  
  
Biting back a growl Inu yasha held his tongue and just barely managed to keep his claws from curling around the monk's neck. No way was he going to let that monk get his filthy hands on his Kagome, he'd fall on his sword blade first.. Maybe he could never have her but he'd be damned if anyone he knew would.  
  
"Let's go north." Kagome said thoughtfully looking around. "I'm sensing something there. It's faint but its there."  
  
"Lets go." Shippou said with glee. With Kagome here Inu yasha would be doing a lot of sitting which was his favorite form of entertainment.  
  
"We're ready." Sango said as she motioned to Kirara who stood beside her. The two tailed cat smiled a feline smile before nodding its head.  
  
"I'm ready to follow you lovely ladies to the end of the earth." Miroku said with a leer in the two girl's directions. "I'd love to follow either of you anywhere you go." He added with an even bigger leer, his suggestive meaning clear.  
  
"Pervert." They both shot back at the same time. In fact it had become a permanent and well used part of their vocabulary since they'd met up with the monk. Agreeing with them Inu yasha whacked him upside the head which sent him sprawling on the ground with a thud.  
  
"Lets go." Inu yasha said firmly and without waiting for them headed north. Falling into line Kagome and Shippou walked behind him while Sango helped the monk up. Unfortunately he also had to make another bear my children remark causing her to belt him back to the ground and march off leaving him eating dirt. Once he could see straight the monk ran to catch up which took a while because of Inu yashas deliberately fast pace.  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, Kagome, how did your exams go?" Sango asked as she cracked her knuckles that stung a bit from hitting the monk's hard head. "Did you pass them?"  
  
"I did okay. So what's been going on around here?" Kagome asked as she handed Shippou another chocolate bar to replace the one Inu yasha had taken. The last thing she wanted to think about were her exams from hell.  
  
"Nothing much. A demoness came after Inu yasha though." Shippou said happily munching away at the lovely treat he'd been given.  
  
"A demoness came after him? But why?" Kagome said with a startled look and Inu yasha felt her gaze burn into his back.  
  
"I don't know, She tried to kill Sango and then Inu yasha dragged her away. He didn't kill her though cause I smelled her presence the next morning."  
  
"What happened Inu yasha? What did she want?" Kagome asked curiously.  
  
"None of your business." Inu yasha growled preferring be condemned to being a full human for life then admit why the demoness had sought him out. His brother was going to pay the next time he saw him, that was for sure. Shesshoumaru was going to pay in blood.  
  
"We've asked him hundreds of times but he won't even give us a hint." Sango confined with a glare directed at Inu yashas back. "Even though she did try to kill me and therefore I should be entitled to at least know why."  
  
"If either of you see a demoness  or any demon coming towards you get as far away from him or her as possible." Inu yasha growled as he turned to face them. "Don't try and stop it just run and find me."  
  
"Tell me why first." Kagome demanded with a frown. She had a feeling something was up and she wasn't moving until she knew what was up. "And why only us girls?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just do as your told, bitch." Inu yasha said harshly as he glared at her. She didn't need to know why he'd given the command, she just needed to obey it.  
  
"I'm not moving till you answer me." Kagome said defiantly, deciding to let the bitch comment go since he likely didn't see it as an insult. "And I'll start using the S word if I need to, Inu yasha."  
  
"You'll do as you're told, woman." Inu yasha growled in frustration because he knew that she probably would carry out her threat. Her bravery was one of the things he liked most about her.  
  
"SITTTTTTTTTT!!!" Was her answer. Instantly falling to the ground she repeated it every time he'd regained his footing. Staying down Inu yasha tapped the ground with his claws. She'll keep doing this until she runs out of breath, Inu yasha thought with a scowl. Why couldn't she just do what he asked for once in her life?  
  
"If I said please would you quit saying sit already?" Inu yasha asked wearily as he looked up at her. Shippou was leaning forward with a huge grin on his face and Inu yasha was just itching to send the little brat flying.  
  
"If you tell me why the demoness is after us and why we shouldn't try to fight her I'll stop using the S word." Kagome promised looking down at him with her hands on her hips again. "Till then I can keep this up all day."  
  
"I should slit your throat for this." Inu yasha threaten, knowing full well that both of them knew he'd never carry it out. Even though she had no idea how deep his feelings went she did know that he considered her a friend and would never deliberately harm her.  
  
"But you won't." Kagome said confidently with a small smile.  
  
"Fine." Inu yasha said wearily. She wants to know well then I'll tell her..most of it. "She attacked Sango because she mistakened her for you.  That particular demon wasn't exactly the smartest."  
  
"She thought I was Kagome?" Sango said with a raised eyebrow. "Why would she want to kill Kagome and not all of us? I didn't recognize her as anyone we've faced before."  
  
"She wanted to kill Kagome because my demon brother wants Kagome dead okay." Inu- yasha said with a growl. "So if you want to tell Fluffy anything be forewarned he's a dead demon when I get a hold of him."  
  
  
  
  
  
"But wouldn't he want us all dead? Why would he have her attack only Kagome?" Miroku asked curiously trying to follow the conversation he'd just joined.  
  
"Because he views Kagome as the only one of us he needs to kill." Inu yasha said with a grimace, stepping on egg shells. "Besides me that is."  
  
"No offense to Kagome but I have more skill and training concerning killing demons so wouldn't I be more of a threat even with her arrows?" Sango asked curiously.  
  
"Her ability to kill demons isn't why he wants her dead, Sango." Inu yasha said looking at her with a sigh.  
  
"Then why?" Kagome asked leaning even closer so that her scent nearly overwhelmed him, making him dizzy. Struggling to stay in control of his body Inu yasha tried to limit his air intake to prevent her from distracting her anymore then she did on a regular basis.  
  
"You asked why she attacked Sango and I answered. I also told you why you should stay away from her. I've kept my part of the deal so you keep yours, Kagome." Inu yasha said with a glare and slowly getting to his feet looked her straight in the eye, telling her without words that he wouldn't say any more no matter how many times she said sit.  
  
"All right but I want to know more and I'm going to keep on asking." Kagome said with a look that said she wasn't kidding. From past experience he knew she wasn't  
  
"Fine." Inu yasha said. Just then the scent of a particular demon attracted his attention and with its recognition Inu yasha felt a cruel smile curl his lips. His brother's incompetent toad demon servant Jakken was nearby. And he's going to pay along with his master for trying to harm his Kagome. "I'll be right back, don't follow me, stay here." He called over his shoulder before he went flying through the air towards his unsuspecting victim. He wouldn't know what hit him.  
  
  
  
  
  
The ugly toad demon was in the middle of a small valley looking very upset as Inu yasha flew into a nearby tree. From his perch on the top of the old tree he could hear him cursing at someone but Inu yasha couldn't see him of her. Not really caring Inu yasha jumped from the tree and into the air, landing right in front of the startled demon who had been looking for something other then his master's brother on the war path..  
  
"Inu yasha!" Jakken said with a squeak as he automatically took a step back from his master's half breed brother. "What do you want?" He added with a sneer of contempt to hide his fear.  
  
"Where's my brother, toad?" Inu yasha said glaring down at the demon. Though Jakken was a full demon he was still weaker then himself and it would almost be a waste of time to kill him.  
  
"Where my master is right now is none of your concern." Jakken said with a stab of courage. If Inu yasha killed him at least he'd die with the satisfaction of knowing that Inu yashas death would be a slow and painful one at his master's hand.  
  
"He's sent demon's after Kagome, the attacks will stop now." Inu yasha said picking the demon up by his collar so that he hung several feet from the ground. "You're to tell him that if anything happens to Kagome I will kill him and everything he holds dear. I'll rip out your heart and give it too him on a silver platter, got it? I will send him down to Hell if it's the last thing I do on this earth."  
  
"Protecting your bitch, Inu yasha?" Jakken said with a foolish smirk. Holding him up by one hand Inu yasha threw the toad into a nearby tree as hard as he could. As soon as he hit the tree Inu yasha was there to pick him up again.  
  
"Care to say that again, toad?" Inu yasha said threateningly as he held the bleeding toad very close to his fangs while his claws dug into the demons sides.  
  
"Master will see your mate dead, Inu yasha. There's nothing you can do to stop it. She's marked dead, just like your mother." Jakken said as he tried to withhold his whimpers of pain. His sides felt like they were on fire and his back screamed in agony from crashing into the tree.  
  
"I'll see him dead before I see him hurt a hair on her head." Inu yasha said with a growl of total fury before hurling him back at the tree with such a force that the tree broke, falling with a thud to the ground with Jakken under it. This time he made no move to pick him up and the toad lay unconscious at the bottom of it bleeding heavily and trapped. Slowly the red haze in front of his eyes faded away and Inu yasha became conscious that they'd had an audience. Spinning around on his feet he saw his friends a couple of meters behind him. Glaring at them for not staying put Inu yasha was about to give them a piece of his mind when he realized he could smell his brother's scent and that of another familiar human a small distance from here. Drawing his sword from his side Inu yasha quickly made his way over to some bushes where the smell was coming from. Both scents got stronger as he drew closer but the human smell was stronger then that of his brother's. And the smell was that of the child Inu yasha realized with an arched brow in surprise. Puzzled but without a sound Inu yasha effortlessly jumped over the large bush and landing on the other side spun around, sword drawn to face his opponent.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You're the girl that travels with my brother." Inu yasha said looking at the little girl who'd been hiding behind the bush. His brother's scent was on her and she was unharmed so that could be the only explanation. Smiling back at him the girl nodded. Hearing the sounds of his friends nearby he called out to them. "It's all right. We have nothing to worry about over here."  
  
"Did you see Jakken anywhere? We're playing hide-and go-seek." The little girl said with a smile. "But now that you're here I guess he'll find me really quick."  
  
"Jakken won't be doing much of anything for a while." Inu yasha said looking down at her. She was much cuter then Shippou and a lot less irritating. Maybe he and his brother should make a trade.  
  
"Did you kill him?" The girl asked, her eyes going huge so that they practically took up her whole face.  
  
"No." Inu yasha said with a smirk. "Did my brother give him the task of watching over you?"  
  
"Yes but he doesn't like me very much." The girl confined with an angelic look.  "My name's Rin by the way."  
  
"I take it you already know who I am." Inu yasha said and the girl nodded.  
  
"Inu yasha are you okay over there?" Kagome called from the other side of the bush. They'd obviously decided not to charge over like before but had opted to wait and see.  
  
"I'm fine, woman." Inu yasha growled before turning back to the little girl. "Do you know where my brother is by any chance?"  
  
"Nope." Rin said shaking her dark black hair. "He told Jakken to take me here to play while he took care of some business."  
  
"You're too young to be out here by yourself, I'm looking for Sesshoumaru so why don't you come with me since Jakken won't be doing anything for a while." Inu yasha said with his most charming smile. If he had Rin then there was a chance his brother would seek him out and save him the trouble of hunting the bastard down.  
  
"Okay." The little girl agreed and happily slipped her hand into his. Surprised at the action Inu yasha looked down at the smiling girl and smiled back.  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is Rin, she's going to be traveling with us for a little bit." Inu yasha said with a wolfish smile as he landed in front of his friends with the girl in his arms. The little girl giggled at the fun ride and the surprised expression on the others faces.  
  
"Hello Rin, I'm Kagome and this little guy here is Shippou." Kagome said surprised at the way Inu yasha was holding the girl. He was holding her like she was a delicate piece of glass that might break if he wasn't too careful.  So cute.  
  
"Hi Kagome, Shippou." Rin said with a wave. " I like your mate, Inu yasha." She whispered to Inu yasha who blushed slightly which made the rest gawk and become even more curious about the girl.  
  
"Isn't that the human your brother keeps with him?" Sango said looking at the little girl closely.  
  
"Yes. I'm afraid her baby-sitter is in no condition to look after her so she's coming with us until I can return her to my brother." Inu yasha said with a smile. "Rin this is Sango and the monk is Miroku. Stay away from him." Inu yasha added as an afterthought.  
  
"Hi guys." Rin said rather like being carried. Inu yasha wasn't the bad guy her master had made him out to be. He was really nice and she liked his mate's smile, it was pretty.  
  
"Inu yasha, Sesshoumaru will have your head on a stake for this." Kagome said with a frown as she looked at him as though he'd lost his mind. "Are you trying to start a fight? Never mind." She added having already answered her own question.  
  
"Well lets keep going, I want to have a talk with Sesshoumaru myself." Sango said with a grin that was very similar to Inu yashas. "Glad to have you aboard, kid."  
  
"You can have part of my chocolate bar." Shippou said with uncharacteristic unselfishness. Breaking off a piece of his bar he held it out in her direction. Leaning over his arm Rin thanked him and tried out her new treat.  
  
"Yummy, thank you." Rin said liking the new treat a lot. Breaking a piece off of her piece she held it out to Inu yasha. "Do you want a piece?"  
  
"You have it." Inu yasha said and tightening his hold a little Inu yasha started walking in the direction they'd been originally headed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are we there yet?" Shippou complained from over Kagome's shoulder. He and Rin had become fast friends and she'd asked him how much longer it would be. So that the two could keep each other company Kagome had increased her walking speed and he'd decreased his so that they walked side by side so that the two could talk from their arms. The girl wasn't heavy at all and Inu yasha kinda liked walking beside Kagome and for a moment or two he wondered what it would be like if the children they carried were their own. Rin kinda looked like Kagome with her dark hair and eyes and he supposed their were worse kids out there then Shippou though it was hard to imagine.  
  
"I'm not picking up the presence clearly anymore. Plus I think the kids could use a break. I know my arms could." Kagome said with a smile.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Miroku said coming to a stop beside Sango who showed no signs of being tired. Then again both she and Inu yasha were us to hard physical activity while the others were not to the same degree.  
  
"We can rest for a couple minutes." Inu yasha agreed as he set Rin down on the ground. He probably should have had her walk but she would have slowed them down.  
  
Grinning both the children crowded around Kagome who'd opened up her knapsack for something to eat. Pulling out containers of fruit, veggies and junk food Kagome began handing things out and soon everyone was happily munching away. Watching them stuff their faces Inu yasha couldn't help but smile.  
  
"You're acting really fatherly today, Inu yasha." Kagome said walking over to him with an apple in her hand. Accepting the apple Inu yasha ignored the comment and stared at a spot above her head, hoping she'd get the hint and leave. Of course she either didn't or chose to ignore it. "So why does Sesshoumaru want me dead?  Rin seems to have a high opinion of him and she's obviously a smart girl."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yea well you like Shippou so what does that tell you about smart people liking bad people." Inu yasha said with a snarl.  
  
"Well thanks for calling me smart but you like Shippou too so what does that say about you?  And you're trying to distract me and it won't work." Kagome said playfully pushing his shoulder which instantly put his body on red alert. God you need a woman bad when a touch on the shoulder sends you for a loop, Inu yasha thought trying to ignore her to no success.  
  
"Why does it matter why he wants you dead? He wants a lot of people dead, many of them for no good reason." Inu yasha said moving away from her slightly to try and put some distance between their bodies before his instincts took over. That would sure take her mind off her questions, Inu- yasha added to himself with dark humor. It would take my mind off of it anyway.  
  
"Well I think I have the right to know why he wants me dead." Kagome said crossing her arms in front of her which only drew his attention to her chest where he definitely didn't want to be looking at. Why oh why did she have to be so appealing? You'd think after Kikyo he'd have learned something about thinking with his hormones as oppose to his friggin head.  
  
"Lets leave it at he wants you dead, okay? We should get the chest... I mean rest.. Rest of the guys and start out again." Inu yasha said feeling his cheeks threaten to turn pink.  
  
"Ahhhh yea." Kagome said with a confused look on her face. Watching her walk away it was all he could do not to hit himself several times in the head.  
  
"Well I must say you really need to start thinking with your head, little brother."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inu yasha felt a chill ripple up his spine as he recognized his older brother's voice. Turning around quickly he had his blade out and ready to go as he looked into Sesshoumaru cold and emotionless eyes as the demon walked towards them. "I've been looking for you, Fluffy." Inu yasha growled deliberately using Sesshoumaru hated nickname that Kagome had come up with to piss him off. As he'd hoped his brother's eyes narrowed and his smirk disappeared.  
  
"Master." Rin cried as she ran over to his side, smiling up at him she waited for him to recognized her presence.  
  
"You're all right?" Sesshoumaru asked as he looked down at his charge. He showed no emotion but Inu yasha had the strangest feeling that Sesshoumaru did care for the young girl. After all it was obvious he'd shown her some affection or Rin wouldn't be looking at him like he'd hung the moon and the stars.  
  
"I'm fine. I had a great time with Inu yasha and his friends. I got something called chocolate and Shippou's my friend and Inu yashas mate's really nice and Sango said she'd teach me how to fight. And her cat's really nice too and so is Miroku..I don't think you should kill Kagome just because she's Inu yashas mate, she's really great once you get to know her." Rin said with a delighted smile as she chattered away. Inu yasha could have kicked himself as he heard Kagome and Sango gasp at Rins statement that she was being hunted because Sesshoumaru thought she was Inu yashas mate.  Damn someone up there hated him  
  
"You took her and nearly killed Jakken." Sesshoumaru said staring at his brother. He was well aware of Inu yashas friends and mate standing guard behind his brother waiting to strike but they posed little threat to him.  
  
"Jakken didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. As for Rin I couldn't in good conscious leave her alone and defenseless, we can't all be cold hearted bastards like you." Inu yasha said as he kept his sword in front of his brother's chest, prepared for the coming fight that always happened when he and his brother met. "Besides I wanted to tell you to leave my friends alone personally."  
  
"I will not tolerate you taking her for a mate, Inu yasha. I would have thought Kikyo would have made you see the error in choosing human mates." Sesshoumaru sneered as only he could. He was trying to trip him up Inu- yasha knew and he had no intention of letting that happen.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome is not my mate, I have no intention of making her my mate so if that's the only problem you have with her then the problem is only in your mind." Inu yasha said sad that it was true. Kagome could never be his and his brother was a fool to think he didn't already know that.  
  
"Do you swear she is not your mate on your mothers grave, Inu yasha?" Sesshoumaru said staring intently at his brother, trying to read his face which was proving to be very difficult today.  
  
"I swear on her grave that Kagome is not my mate." Inu yasha said looking his brother dead in the eye. "So leave her alone."  
  
"I'll leave her alone for now." Sesshoumaru agreed as he nodded at his brother, not really interested in a fight at the moment with Rin so near. "But make her so and you sign your death warrants. You of all people should know that."  
  
"I know it well." Inu yasha agreed never taking his eyes off of his brother.  
  
"Then we understand each other. Come Rin." Sesshoumaru said picking up the small girl and settled her into his arms. With one last look he was gone, flying through the air until he was out of sight.  
  
  
  
"I'm going to scout ahead." Inu yasha said and without waiting for their acknowledgment went flying through the air as well heading as far from them as possible. He was in no condition to be around anyone right now.  
  
"Poor guy." Miroku said under his breath as he watched his friend leave. "It's got to be tough having Mr. Nice Guy as an older brother."  
  
"Personally I think Sesshoumaru makes Inu yasha look like a real prize." Sango said with a frown as she put her boomerang back onto her back.  
  
"Well I think both of them are annoying jerks." Shippou declared though he too looked a bit worried as he forced himself not to look in the direction Inu yasha had gone.  
  
Kagome was silent but in her heart she longed to say the words she thought. Maybe I'm not your mate Inu yasha, she thought to herself as the breeze lifted up her hair, but I wish I was. And a couple of miles away Inu yasha caught her scent on the breeze and sighed an agreement.  
  
  
  
Well what did you think of my first Inu yasha fic? Please review and let me know. Thanks a lot and have a great day! C Queen. 


	2. Confessions of the Heart

Confessions of The Heart  
  
***Note: Again I don't own Inu yasha and apologies for any plot screw ups. Hope you enjoy and please review. Thanks C Queen.***  
  
Kagome curled up beneath her warm blanket and sighed heavily. It was early morning and she had yet to keep her eyes closed for a minute much less sleep. Why me, she wondered miserably, why did I have to go and fall in love with him. When she'd told her friends a highly edited version of him and her feelings they said it was just puppy love (pun unintended) and that she'd get over it. But she was sure it wasn't, she knew what puppy love felt like and this wasn't it. Her mother said that you could tell the difference by looking at how you view the person. If you could look at him and see and his faults but still love him the way he is then it's love. If you see him as your ideal Mr. Perfect then it isn't. And damn if she didn't know all of Inu yashas faults and still loved him anyway. She knew that he was rude, overbearing, sexist and a selfish demon some of the time. But she also knew he could be nice if he tried and he did have a heart no matter how deeply he had buried it. And unfortunately she wasn't nearly as good at hiding her emotions as he was. Sometimes she wondered if he knew just how much she cared about him, how much she longed to be with him. But he was the type to tell a girl to get lost in such a situation so it was possible that for once he didn't know everything that was going on.  
  
  
  
"And none of this is helping me get to sleep." She muttered to herself as she pushed back her blanket. Shivering slightly Kagome reached into her bag and pulled out a jacket which she quickly put on and zipped up. Looking around she could see the sleeping forms of everyone except Inu yasha but then again he'd said that he'd be scanning the perimeter tonight since he didn't require sleep. Standing up Kagome carefully placed her blanket over Shippou who was fast asleep beside her. Sango had pointed out a well nearby that was suppose to have magical powers and that if you threw a coin in anything you wished for would come true. Clutching a small coin in her jacket pocket Kagome decided to visit the well no matter how foolish it might be. Just in case anyone woke up while she was gone she quickly scribbled a note and put it on her pillow with a rock holding it in place. Weaving around her friends Kagome left their campsite with her bow and arrows strapped across her back and a quest to complete. She found the well easily enough and leaning over all she could see was blackness. Curious Kagome picked up a stone and let it go. Even though she listened carefully she couldn't hear it hit bottom. Shrugging her shoulders Kagome reached into her pocket and pulled out the small coin. Holding it up Kagome kissed it for luck and then with another shrug held the coin over the old brick well.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Kagome quickly spun around on her heels to see none other then Sesshoumaru standing behind her having not made a single sound until he'd spoken to her. Pulling her bow quickly from behind it was carelessly grabbed and thrown away so quickly Kagome didn't even see Shesshomaru's hand reach out to take it. Stepping into a defense position Kagome prepared to fight to the death or hopefully until Inu yasha and the others got there.  
  
"I haven't come to kill you, girl; merely to stop you from making your wish." Sesshoumaru said with a small smile that actually made him look more human which he would have been angry to find out no doubt.  
  
"You came to stop me from putting a coin in a wishing well?" Kagome said in disbelief. "I may be human but I'm not that stupid. What do you want if not to kill me?"  
  
"You're not my brother's mate yet therefore I won't be killing you today. However if you make that wish I will." Sesshoumaru said looking quite serious despite his words. He'd kill her for putting a coin in a well?  Kagome thought in disbelief.  
  
"You'll kill me for making a wish?" Kagome asked, her disbelief obvious. She'd heard people come up with a lot of excuses to kill someone before but this topped the charts in the stupid and weird category.  
  
"I'll kill you if you make the wish you were planning to make, Kagome." Sesshoumaru said as he looked down at her with a predators gleam in his cold eyes. "Go back to camp and stay away from Inu yasha and wishing wells."  
  
"How could you possibly know what I was going to wish for? I wasn't wishing for you to die a slow and horrible death if that's what your worried about, though I should." Kagome said placing her hands on her hips. Demon or not he had no right to believe bad things about her.  
  
"People come here to wish for their heart's desire, yours is to be my brother's mate. As I stated earlier such actions would lead to your death and I believe many things about you but that you're so suicidal I have never." Sesshoumaru said looking straight into her eyes. Kagome watched with huge eyes as he moved with lightening quickness to latch onto her shoulders, his face almost touching hers Kagome felt all the blood leave her face as she stared into the icy depths of his eyes. "You throw that coin in the well and you will join it in its fall, understand.?"  
  
  
  
"I understand." Kagome choked out as she stood frozen in his hold. His eyes were so unlike Inu yashas which showed his emotions if you knew how to look. She could see none in Sesshoumaru inhuman eyes.  
  
"Good." Sesshoumaru said with a nod of his head that nearly put them nose to nose. "At least he chose someone with a little more sense this time."  
  
"Why are you doing this, Sesshoumaru? Why are you so bent and determined to prevent Inu yasha from finding any happiness at all? You're his brother for God sakes, shouldn't you want him to be happy?" Kagome asked as she tried to draw back a little. With a grin of amusement he let her have her way and let go. Stumbling back a little she waited for her answer.  
  
"Do you really think he'd find any true happiness with a human mate? You're a weak and easily manipulated race who show little signs of great strength or intelligence. Has it occurred to you that maybe I am doing this in his best interest? You weren't here after Kikyo betrayed him, you weren't here after his mother died. Human females have caused him enough trouble, why should he have to add another onto the list if I can prevent it?" Sesshoumaru demanded with his cool eyes still locked on her.  
  
"Are you trying to say that you're doing this because your trying to prevent Inu yasha from being hurt, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome said in surprise, the idea that he was doing it for Inu yasha had never occurred to her. "But if you care for him that much why do you act like you hate him and hurt him?"  
  
" He is a half breed and a disgrace to our family. However he is of my blood and it is my duty to watch over him as my father dictated. I've never really mortally wounded Inu yasha now have I?"  
Sesshoumaru pointed out though he wasn't exactly being truthful.  Of course the truth was he'd slowly begun to see his mistake in hating Inu yasha so much but there was no way he'd admit such a thing.

  
"No. And he's not a disgrace." Kagome yelled back with fury written all over her lovely face. Getting right into the demon's face she let forth the words she'd been holding inside her for too long. "Inu yashas a great guy and you have no reason to be ashamed of him. He's a great hunter and tracker and he's loyal to us. He doesn't kill for the fun of it and he's willing to help those who need him when they ask. He's a sweet and good hearted man if you look down deep enough.  How dare you look down at him! Maybe he isn't full demon but I'd prefer him to you any day. You're a cold hearted bully and Inu yasha deserves a  better brother then you'll ever be. And when push comes to shove he's ten times the demon you'll ever be, you big demon jackass!"  
  
  
  
Kagome felt her heart sink as she watched his eyes narrow at her words and his lips thinned. He didn't appreciate her expressing her opinions. Oh boy I've done it now, Kagome thought as she saw her short life pass before her eyes. Heaven's pearly gates, here I come. I hope.  
  
"So you think my brother is ten times the demon I'll ever be." Stated in a flat tone that none the less indicated he didn't appreciate her words and ideas Kagome felt her blood chill. "You do realize I've killed people in the past for much less then what you just said? Disagreeing with me by its self is an offense punishable by death."  
  
"I'm not afraid of you." Kagome said sticking out her chin and pushing back her shoulders. "I've faced exams scarier then you. Trust me if I can get through Mr. Mattews science class in one piece I can take you on any time."  
  
"What are exams and Mr. Mattews?" Sesshoumaru asked being pretty sure he'd just been insulted but not completely sure.  
  
"Exams are like tests and Mr. Mattews is a science teacher at my high school. Compared to him you're a cuddly puppy dog." Kagome exaggerated though some of her fellow science students might not agree.  
  
"Oh I am, am I?" Sesshoumaru said with interest at the thought despite himself. "Why don't you bring your teacher here some time and introduce us? I'd look forward to tearing his heart out and handing it back to him."  
  
"Ahhh sorry but I think it would be you that would end up pushing up the daisies, Sesshoumaru. Trust me on this one." Kagome surprised that he hadn't caught onto the fact that she was lying through her teeth.  
  
"I highly doubt it." Sesshoumaru said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eye. "I also have better things to do then to stand here talking to you. Are we in understanding over my brother's mate status?"  
  
"I understand that if I become his mate you'll make it your goal in life to see me six feet under...as usual" Kagome said with a sad smile. "You know if you love him trying to baby him and shield him from things won't make him happier in the long run."  
  
  
  
"I have allowed you and those other humans to be his friends, that alone was against my better judgment." Sesshoumaru growled not liking this female at all. What did his brother see in this smart tongued viper?  
  
"If humans are so bad and untrustworthy then why do you keep Rin? She has no demon blood at all yet you show her more care and affection then you ever show Inu yasha." Kagome said curiously. Rin thought the world of her master so he must show her some kindness, but then if he could do it for a human who was a stranger to him then why couldn't he do it for his own brother?  
  
"Why I keep Rin is my own business." Sesshoumaru growled with more anger then he'd meant to. Rin was none of her business.  
  
"Rin will grow up to be a human female just like me, Sango, Kikyo and Inu yashas mother. What will you do then Sesshoumaru? Will you kill her too in order to prevent the risk of her hurting you?" Kagome challenged.  
  
"Rin would never betray me." Sesshoumaru snarled back falling quite neatly into her trap.  
  
"And I would never hurt Inu yasha." Kagome said looking him straight in the eye. Only now seeing the trap he'd fallen into Sesshoumaru fought back the need to lash back at her and take back his words. The female had outsmarted him. She would not do it again.  
  
"I have better things to do then argue with you. Remember what awaits you if you try to cast your wish or seek out Inu yasha as your mate. Your life and death depends on your choice." He said before showing her his back. Walking away from her and into the forest Kagome could do little more then watch him disappear into the dark and dense brush. Feeling her knees go weak Kagome slide soundlessly to the waiting ground in a heap, more shaken then she'd ever been in her life. Lifting her head up she listened to the sounds of the forest waking up and lowering her head let her tears fall. And there she sat crying out soundlessly for her loss.  
  
"Kagome!" Inu yasha cried out as he landed in front of her with a thud as his feet hit the ground. He was instantly hit again by the strong scent of his older brother that had brought him running and dropping to his knees he pulled the sobbing girl into his arms. "What did he do to you? I kill him for this!  Are you hurt?"  
  
"No Inu yasha, he just had a few things to say to me. He didn't hurt me." Kagome said as she held him closer. Her answer wasn't completely true in that she felt her hear breaking into little pieces as she spoke but that was only for her to know.  
  
"What did he want?" Inu yasha growled low in his throat. Whatever Sesshoumaru had said had made her cry and that alone was reason to kill him. She may not have been his mate but she was under his protection and no one, least of all his brother was allowed to hurt her like this. Feeling helpless Inu yasha held her close as her tears slide over her cheeks.  
  
"He just wanted to explain why he would kill me if I was your mate, Inu- yasha." Kagome said sadly as she struggled to get air into her burning lungs. She hated to cry but she couldn't seem to stop. Holding her tighter Inu yasha ran his hands up and down her back the way she always did when Shippou was upset and crying.  
  
"It's all right, Kagome, I won't let him hurt you." Inu yasha promised as he raised one of his hands to hold up her head. "I promise you."  
  
"I know you'll try and protect me, Inu yasha. Besides it's not like I'm ever going to be your mate anyway." Kagome said looking into his concerned eyes through her tear filled ones. At least she didn't thin kit would. Something in his eyes made her wonder.  
  
"Of course, Kagome." Inu yasha said and with a start Kagome realized that there was regret in his voice as though the thought sadden him. Could he want her too?  
  
"Inu yasha, do you want me for a mate?"  
  
  
  
Inu yasha stared at her in disbelief feeling as though the ground had just dropped out from beneath him. Could she have said what he thought she'd said. "What did you say?"  
  
"I asked if you wanted me for your mate, Inu yasha." Kagome said knowing that she could very well be destroying their friendship with her words. And what's left of her heart. His answer would either make or break her.  
  
"Why would you ask me that, Kagome?" Inu yasha said hoarsely. Could she be aware of his feelings for her? His brother was obviously aware of them, had he informed Kagome of his desire to have her as his own?  
  
"I want to know, Inu yasha. Do you want me for your mate?" Kagome said with added strength as she correctly read Inu yashas expression. He didn't look disgusted or horrified at the thought. He looked like he was in pain?  
  
"What I want doesn't matter." Inu yasha said letting her go. Standing up Inu yasha turned around and stood there as still as stone.  
  
"It matters to me, Inu yasha." Kagome said standing up as well. Walking over to stand behind him she stared at his strained back.  
  
"Why?" Inu yasha said without emotion, not turning around though she had a feeling that if she could see his face it would be filled with emotion. Taking a deep breath Kagome gathered all her courage and answered his question.  
  
"Because I wish I was." Kagome said quietly as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Hugging him tightly from behind she could feel his body shaking slightly from barely controlled emotion. Lay her head on his shoulders she simple held on as she waited for him to react to her announcement.  
  
"Why did you have to say that, Kagome." Inu yasha said suddenly spinning around in her arms and pulled her against him. Staring up into his eyes Kagome was almost afraid of all the emotion she saw flashing in their golden depths. "Do you realize what you've done?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I was fine until you said that. I could keep my hands off of you as long as I thought of you as a friend. I could ignore my feelings for you when I thought you considered me nothing more then a friend. But now you had to correct me. Had to tell me you want me too. Do you have any idea what that does to me?" Inu yasha growled almost like he was in pain as he lifted her off the ground so that they were nose to nose.  
  
  
  
Staring into his eyes Kagome nodded. "Yes, Inu yasha, I know what it is to want you and think I couldn't have you." Shivering visibly at her words Inu yasha closed his eyes and then opening them again carefully set her down on the ground.  
  
"Head back to camp, Kagome." Inu yasha said quietly, finally turning his back on her again, his head down. "Please if you care for me at all leave me."  
  
"I won't leave because I love you, Inu yasha." Kagome said bravely as she moved around him so that she stood in front of him. Taking his face in her hands Kagome drew his head up to hers and pulled him close. Standing on tip toes she began to place butterfly kisses on his lips and his face causing him to shudder and close his eyes. Running her fingers through his hair he admitted a growl when she began to stroke his ears while her lips remained on his lips. With a purr Inu yasha succumb to her touch and began to kiss her back heatedly. Wrapping his arms around his waist Inu yasha pulled her even closer and began to place kisses of his own on her face while her fingers explored his face. Whispering words of encouragement Kagome moved her head to give him better access to her neck while she hung onto his neck for dear life. If the world had come to an end in those moments of passion neither of them would have noticed. Forgetting warnings, Sesshoumaru, and all the other boundaries around them they concentrated on each other and the emotions they felt for the other.  
  
  
  
"I love you so much, Kagome." Inu yasha said drawing her beloved face into his hands, wishing to look at it till the day he died. Breathing hard her face lit up with the news that he felt the same way too. "But you can never be mine."  
  
"What do you mean, Inu yasha?" Kagome cried throwing herself into his arms. Holding her tight Inu yasha felt her heart beating in time with his and wondered what he had ever done to deserve this Heaven and Hell.  
  
"Exactly what I said." Inu yasha said drawing away from her. "I love you, Kagome but I'm a half demon and can never have you, you'd be better off forgetting me and what happened here. As much as I would give to have you for my own I cannot risk it. You're the most precious thing in the world to me, Kagome,  I'll not have you hurt because of me and that's all I would give you Kagome, pain and heartache."  
  
"And your love." Kagome said only holding tighter to him. "I love you despite and because you're half demon and the only thing that will hurt me is if you let me go. I belong to you, Inu yasha. Whether you want to or not."  
  
"Kagommeeee." Inu yasha groaned as he laid his head adjectivally on top of hers. "What can I say to make you realize that you're wrong about me?"  
  
"There's nothing you can say or do that can stop me from loving you, Inu yasha. I don't care what your brother or anyone else thinks. I love you and there's not a force on earth that can make me leave your side." Kagome vowed taking a deep breath. "Your stuck with me so deal with it."  
  
  
  
***I know this chapter is shorter then the other but I'm having writers block and didn't know what to do next. If you have any ideas please tell me otherwise this is it. Thanks for writing and please review.*** 


	3. Her Gift to Him

***Note: This fic is dedicated to Kitty and Susan C. Thanks a lot for your suggestions and I thank you and give you credit for helping me create this. Hope you enjoy and review.***  
  
Her Big Surprise  
  
"So then what happened?" Sango asked laying a hand on Kagome's shoulder. She ached for her friend but didn't know what to say to comfort her friend.  
  
"Then he broke our embrace and ran off into the woods. I tried to chase after him but he got away and I don't know where he is. What if he doesn't come back?" Kagome sobbed into her hands. What was she going to do without him? She loved Inu-yasha more then anything else on earth.  
  
"He'll be back Kagome, he told you he loves you." Sango said patting her shoulder. She'd never been in love before and if this was anything to go by it was the pits.  
  
"Yea but he doesn't want to love me." Kagome cried and for several minutes she just cried with Sango's arm around her for support as she felt her heart fragment. Finally getting under control an idea popped into her head. It was crazy but if it worked?  
  
"What are you thinking Kagome?" Sango said wearily as she looked at the expression coming over Kagome's face.  
  
"The well must work." Kagome said looking at her friend excitedly. Jumping to her feet Kagome began to pace as she thought it through her head. It would have seen crazy two years ago but now and here it didn't seem so crazy. He'd said that he couldn't mate with a human but what if she wasn't one? What if she was a half demon just like him? Was she willing to make that kind of sacrifice for him.? Yes she was.  
  
"What about the well?" Sango said thoroughly confused. Something told her that her friend was about to make a huge decision and that it was important that she help her think rationally.  
  
"Shesshomaru wouldn't let me wish in the well. He wouldn't have cared if the well didn't actually grant the wish." Kagome said looking at Sango for agreement. "This could solve everything!"  
  
  
  
"What do you mean solve all your problems. What are you going to do Kagome?" Sango said wearily knowing that she wasn't going to like her answer. She could think of nothing good that could solve all her problems.  
  
"Well Inu-yasha and Shesshomaru both think that I shouldn't be Inu-yasha's mate because I'm human. If I'm not human then neither of them will have any problem right?" Kagome said earnestly for understanding.  
  
"Are you thinking of wishing to become a demon?" Sango said slowly while it was still sinking in. Kagome couldn't mean that, could she? Just think of the consequences of it made her head spin. Would Kagome really do that to keep Inu-yasha?  
  
"Well not a full one but a half one or even just a quarter." Kagome said gazing intently at Sango's face. She knew that there were a lot of wrinkles to work out but with Sango's help there was nothing she couldn't do.  
  
"You do realize that if you become a half or quarter demon you'll be hunted here. Mates of demons who aren't full blooded are picked on and killed off." Sango said but was quickly interrupted.  
  
"But if I'm part demon I'll be more capable of handling them if they try to kill me and I'm already on the black list of hundreds of demon's anyway so what's a couple more." Kagome said speaking as she processed and thought things through.  
  
"You do realize that if you become a demon you'll live much longer then normal. You'll live to see your family and your brother's family die before you, me and Miroku included." Sango said trying to come up with reasons why she shouldn't do this.  
  
"Yea but that's probably one of the reasons why he doesn't want to get involved with me, because I'll die much sooner then he will. But if I'm a demon there won't be that problem."  
  
"That's true." Sango admitted thoughtfully. "And if you're a demon then you'll be able to find the shards easier and keep him from getting busted up all the time. By the sun and the moon this could work!"  
  
"So you think its a good idea Sango?"  
  
" This will change your life forever if it works Kagome." Sango said stressing forever. " Why don't you go home and talk this over with your family. If after a week you still want to do this then okay. While your gone I'll find out everything I can about the well and see what I can find out."  
  
"Your right Sango. I'll go right now and when I get back I'll let you know my decision." Kagome said with a smile. "You won't tell any of the guys what were up to will you? I don't want them to know until I decide."  
  
"Sounds good to me." Sango agreed. "I'll get the monk to stay here with Shippou to wait for Inu-yasha while I take you back to your well."  
  
  
  
Sango paced in front of the well. Kagome was to arrive any moment with her decision. Sango had searched her heart the entire week trying to decide whether or not to tell Inu-yasha what Kagome was planning on doing. If she'd told him then he would have been here to stop her from going to the well. But he wasn't here because she hadn't told him. She'd told the men that they had to go off to see someone about a "woman thing" and though she knew they'd been suspicious they hadn't followed her. Inu-yasha was looking worse and worse everyday and Sango hoped and prayed that Kagome would arrive soon and get back to him before Inu-yasha did something drastic. He had already proven how much her absence affected him in a battle a few days ago. He had fought like a man with nothing to live for and it had taken all of their skills for herself and Miroku to get him out alive. As if to answer her prayers Sango hearing a sound behind her turned to see Kagome climbing out of the well with her backpack and two large duffel bags in her hands. Smiling in relief Sango walked over to help her friend out.  
  
  
  
"So what did you decide?" Sango asked as she grabbed one of the duffel bags Kagome held out. She'd been wondering and waiting all week and she could barely contain herself. It had taken everything she had simple to hide their plans from the guys.  
  
"I'm going to do it Sango." Kagome said with a brave smile. "Even if he doesn't accept me after I change I'll still have a lot more years to wear him down then I would as a full human."  
  
"Well I've gathered as much information on the well as I can and I think your right, it does work. The common story is that a great sorceress was murdered protecting her village from demons and that her body was cast into the well as an insult. The villagers I talked to believe that her spirit lives in the well and will grant the wish of anyone who is pure of heart and is doing it for a good reason. So basically if your willing you have a good chance in my opinion."  
  
"And the guys know nothing of this?"  
  
"It hasn't been easy and Inu-yasha has really been in my face about it but no, they don't have any idea what your planning to do." Sango said shaking her head.  
  
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing Sango?" Kagome asked looking over at the good friend walking beside her. "I trust your judgment on this."  
  
"I think you should do what your heart tells you to do Kagome. Personally I think that Inu-yasha doesn't deserve you but he does love you and is suffering horribly. The last week I've watched him closely and its like he's turned into a lifeless shell. He's convinced he's driven you away and that your not coming back. I think that odd as it sounds you two are two halves of a whole and neither of you will ever be whole without the other. If this is the only way to stay together then I say do it. You both deserve to be happy and you won't be unless your together."  
  
"Thanks Sango. I was going to do it no matter what you said but knowing you agree with me makes all the difference." Kagome said and with another brave smile they headed for the well as the lands around them grew dark with the approaching night.  
  
  
  
"Well this is it." Kagome said setting down her bag. It was barely light enough to see and they could just make out the well in the growing shadows. "Do we have to wait for a certain time."  
  
"I don't think so." Sango said setting down her bag and weapons beside Kagome's. "I guess you just throw the coin and we'll see what happens."  
  
Nodding Kagome drew the coin from her jacket she'd worn over her clothing and steadying her nerves walked over to the well and stood in front of it. Holding the coin in her clenched fist she looked back at Sango once then dropped the coin into the well. She bit her lip as she heard the coin bounce off the well as it tumbled into the darkness. "Sorceress of the well I have come to ask you to grant me a wish please." Kagome said leaning over the well.  
  
  
  
As if on cue a blinding light burst from the well and Kagome flew backwards in a daze. Just managing to catch her Sango held her up while they both gazed at the sight before them. There in the blinding light was the figure of an old woman dressed in ancient Japanese robes. In her right hand she held a staff of gold with a huge red jewel gleaming at it s top. The figure glowed with a strange white light and the girl's watched as it lifted a hand to point at them.  
  
"Step forward the one who wishes my aid." The woman said in a commanding voice that broke no nonsense.  
  
Stepping forward Kagome stood alone in front of her. "I am the one who seeks your aid." Bowing low Kagome waited with baited breath for the woman's next words.  
  
"Before we begin know that I do not bring people back from the dead. I cannot make someone fall in love with you and you cannot wish for more wishes. Do you still wish to continue?"  
  
"I do." Kagome said squaring her shoulders. "I have need of none of those."  
  
"Now I will judge you to see whether or not you are worthy enough to deserve my aid. Does the one who stands guard behind you seek my help as well?"  
  
"I do not. You cannot bring people back from the dead and that is the only wish I would feel worth making." Sango said bowing in respect.  
  
"Your family lays in peace Sango, take comfort from that." The woman said and Kagome wasn't really surprised that she knew Sango's name, the woman had an air about her that spoke of great wisdom and knowledge.  
  
"Kagome, step closer into the light and I will judge your heart and its purity." Stepping forward Kagome entered the light and immediately was consumed by it. Like a tornado the light whipped past her and suddenly there were images flying around as well. She watched images of her as a child, with her family and friends swirl around her. As she watched in amazement she truly saw her life flash before her eyes. As quickly as it happened it ended and once again she was sent reeling from the well though this time she caught herself without help. Though the light coming from the well had dimmed it still lit up the night and when the woman once again appeared from within it she was smiling.  
  
  
  
"You are truly pure of heart Kagome. Before you tell me what wish you wish me to grant know this. Once I have granted you your wish it is final. You cannot wish for anything else or come to me for help again. You will be stuck with what you wished for, for the rest of your life and it cannot be undone. What is your wish Kagome?"  
  
"I wish to be a half dog demon." Kagome said as she stared at the woman with what courage she had left. "Please."  
  
"You realize what you are asking? The consequences of your wish?" The woman said slowly giving Kagome time to rethink her statement.  
  
"My request is final." Kagome said sticking her chin out.  
  
"Then so be it." The woman said and raised her staff into the air. Chanting ancient words she couldn't understand Kagome watched a blinding red light shoot from the staff's top and clenching her jaw watched as the sorceress aimed the red light at her. Shooting out like lightning the red light consumed her and it was as if time was at a stand still. Frozen in time Kagome could feel and see nothing other then the red light. She couldn't see Sango, the sorceress or even her own body. All she could see was the light as it drew closer and closer. Suddenly Kagome noticed a ball of red fire flying in her direction and before she had time to react it hit her with a punishing blow.  
  
  
  
Dizzy and distorted Kagome lay on the damp earth and tried to get her bearings. Her senses were alive with the sounds and smells around her and Kagome felt herself becoming overwhelmed with it all. Faintly she could hear Sango calling to her and with great effort slowly forced open her eyes to look up where the voice was coming from. Though fuzzy she could make out Sango's face and body leaning over her with urgency in her voice as she called her name pleadingly. Blinking several times Kagome could suddenly see her with a perfect clarity that she had never had before. It was if someone had put binoculars in front of her eyes to help her see better. Sitting up with a small groan that sounded suspiciously like a growl she turned to look at her pale friend and felt a shiver go down her spine at her friend's expression.  
  
"What is it Sango?" Kagome whispered as her body told her without words that changes had been made.  
  
"It worked." Sango breathed reaching out a hand to brush Kagome's bangs from her forehead. "Your wish came true Kagome."  
  
"It did." Kagome said and slowly held her hands up in front of her face. With a gasp Kagome saw that her nails had grown at least an inch and were now more pointed and claw shaped. Running a hand through her hair Kagome felt its new thickness and length. Raising a hand hesitantly she touched the top of her head and was rewarded with the feel of two soft ears on either side. Closing her eyes tightly Kagome struggled to take it all in. She'd done it, it had worked.  
  
  
  
"I expected you to try to undermine me but I never thought you'd do this. You ask her to turn you into a half demon even knowing that it couldn't be undone or changed. You did it willingly and without fear. Why did you do it?" Shesshomaru asked from above.  
  
Looking up into the sky Kagome watched him come to a gracefully landing in front of her. Pushing Sango behind her Kagome bared her newly acquired fangs and prepared to do battle with him. "You were right when you said I couldn't be his mate as a human. So I changed that. You should be pleased, your brother's mate will not be completely human if he chooses me."  
  
"Oh he'll chose you, he loves you. You did all this for him, but I still don't see why." Shesshomaru said in confusion. He'd thought he'd had his brother's love pegged but now she had gone and pulled this stunt. Could she truly love his brother that much?  
  
"Because I love him." Kagome replied as though she could actually read his thoughts. Shivering at the very thought Shesshomaru stared at her with his piercing eyes. Despite their differences he had learned from Rin that his hatred of Inu-yasha and his step mother had been baseless and groundless. He would and could probably never treat Inu-yasha as a real brother to him but he could at least look out for him and that's what he'd been doing when he'd tried to protect Inu-yasha from the human who held his affection. But it would appear that he'd been wrong about this girl Kagome. She was willing to give up everything for Inu-yasha and she'd shown her loyalty to Inu-yasha countless times in battle. She was worthy to be his brother's mate, it was Inu-yasha who did not deserve her. Which his brother was obviously aware of if his actions this week had been any indication. His brother had grown weak and lifeless when this girl had left and Shesshomaru knew with a sinking feeling that he would continue to act like that as long as he was separated from her.  
  
"Then I guess there is nothing more to say except that you won't have to worry about harm coming to you from myself or the demons under me. As my brother's mate you'll be somewhat protected from those who would seek you both harm." Shesshomaru said with a faint smile at the girls shocked expressions. They'd obviously expected more death threats or for him to carry them through.  
  
"You're not going to try and kill me?" Kagome said suspiciously as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Somehow I never thought you'd give up this easily."  
  
"I intended my threats to keep you away from Inu-yasha so that you wouldn't cause him harm by allowing him to realize your feelings were the same as his own. I see now that even if you are not what you seem you have become my brother's soul and that he cannot live without. As long as you love him and stand by him I will have no quarrel with you. Rin is of the opinion that you can be trusted, we will wait and see how correct her instincts are." Shesshomaru said with a nod of his head. Lifting his head to the wind he inhaled before gazing back at her. "My brother is too far away for you to reach him tonight. I would suggest you sleep here tonight and meet up with them tomorrow. I will watch over you both so that you can catch up on your rest. You both look like you have not been sleeping well."  
  
"Thank you Shesshomaru, Rin said you were a nice demon, maybe her instincts weren't off about that either." Kagome said softly as she smiled at him. Unsure what to say Shesshomaru simple growled and jumped into a nearby tree. Nodding encouragingly at Sango the two rolled out their sleeping mats and bedded down for the night with a silent Shesshomaru watching over them until dawn's light arose.  
  
  
  
"Where is he?" Kagome said in alarm as the approached the scheduled meeting place. Lifting her head she desperately tried to pick up his scent but she new deep down that there would only be two people waiting for them, a human and a full fox demon.  
  
"What are you talking about Kagome, he'll be there." Sango said though her voice lacked conviction. What if he had decided that life without Kagome wasn't worth living? What if he hadn't believed the hints she'd dropped and had really believed that Kagome wasn't coming back.  
  
Sharing a glance the two girls broke out in a run and with a crash they practically hurled themselves into the cabin that they'd arranged to meet in.  
  
"Where's Inu-yasha?" Kagome demanded ignoring the shocked look on her friends faces. Jaws hanging open they looked like she'd just beaned them both hard over the head. "Where's Inu-yasha!!"  
  
"He's not here. Kagome?" Miroku said cautiously approached her his eyes and head moving to take it all in. His friend had dog ears, fangs, and claws. Either he was seeing things or she'd become part demon.  
  
"It's me, I've become half demon. Where is he, where's Inu-yasha?" Kagome said far too distracted to appreciate the look on the boy's face.  
  
"Wow!" Shippou said as he bounced closer. "You look really cool as a half demon Kagome."  
  
"Thanks, where is he guys?" Kagome said in exasperation.  
  
"He went that way. He wouldn't tell us where he was going, he said we wanted to be alone for a while." Miroku said worriedly. "Does Inu-yasha know what you've done?"  
  
"No." Kagome muttered absentmindedly. Rasing her head to the air she inhaled then turned to face Sango. "I'm going to look for him." Watching her leave Sango sighed and wished her luck. Turning around she smiled hopefully as they bombarded her with questions.  
  
  
  
Inu-yasha stared off into the distance and wondered why he was even here. Why had he been placed on this earth, what had he done to deserve the life he lived. He'd lost Kagome, what was he suppose to do without his heart. How was he suppose to live without her. Fingering the handle of his sword Inu-yasha wondered what he was suppose to do with the hundreds of years he had still to live without her. Even if she came back she'd only be with him for twenty, forty years before she'd die. He could never survive without her, she was his life.  
  
"Hi Inu-yasha." A young voice said from behind him. Having sensed her presence long before she'd appeared Inu-yasha wasn't even surprised when Rin took a seat beside him. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Thinking Rin. Shouldn't Jakken be looking after you?" Inu-yasha said looking over at her. His brother's only real weakness Inu-yasha thought with a smirk. How ironic that his weakness was a human girl, just like his.  
  
"We're playing hide and seek again." Rin said with a mischievous smile that said Jakken was doing all the seeking. "So how's Kagome and the others doing?"  
  
"Everyone's fine as far as I know Rin. Kagome's gone home for a while but I assume she's well." Inu-yasha said turning his attention back to staring aimlessly in front of him.  
  
'Yea but she's back. And boy does she ever have a surprise for you Inu- yasha." Rin said with a giggle. Inu-yasha didn't know yet!  
  
  
  
  
  
"She's back? Are you sure?" Inu-yasha said swiftly turning his head back in her direction. "Did you see her?"  
  
"Yup. Wait to you see the surprise Inu-yasha, you'll love it. Boy she must really love you lots or that what Master says." Rin said innocently.  
  
"What surprise?" Inu-yasha said feeling his heart spring to life. She was back and had something for him? Even after he'd left her and told her she could never be his?  
  
"I can't tell you her surprise, that would ruin it." Rin said with mock horror. Smiling at him Inu-yasha suddenly sensed someone headed in his direction. Standing up quickly Inu-yasha consulted the winds and was rewarded with a confusing scent. It smelled like Kagome, and yet not. Wrinkling his nose in confusion Inu-yasha tried again but got the same answer.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is something wrong Inu-yasha?" Rin said bouncing to her feet. Deliberately standing on her tip toes she tried sniffing the air too. "Hey look over there." She added pointing to the left where she saw a figure hurrying towards them.  
  
Pushing Rin behind him Inu-yasha drew his sword and stared in the direction of the approaching figure. This was what he'd been smelling. Whatever it was it was Kagome's height and smelled of her and yet wasn't.  
  
"Inu-yasha!"  
  
Blinking Inu-yasha realized that the voice calling out to him was Kagome's, that the figure coming towards him was Kagome. Leaving Rin where she was he ran forward and then came to a grinding halt when he could clearly see her. "Kagome!" Gapping at her he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. His Kagome had ears like his own and she looked different too, stronger and more confident. "You have ears on the top of your head!"  
  
"Yea and I have fangs and claws to go with it." Kagome said with a smile that showed her fangs. Walking closer Kagome tried to gauge his reaction. He looked surprised and Kagome took that as a good sign.  
  
"What happened Kagome?" Inu-yasha said reaching out a hand to cup her cheek. Tenderly caressing it Inu-yasha tried to figure out what could have possibly have done this to her. She looked like she was a half demon, like him.  
  
"You said that you could make me your mate because I was human. And Shesshomaru said that he'd kill me before he'd let me be your mate Inu- yasha because I was human. Well both of you can't use that as an excuse anymore. You are looking at a half dog demon."  
  
"But how? The well." Inu-yasha said everything suddenly falling into place. He'd wondered at the way Sango had seemed so interested in the well when she'd asked him about it. "You wished at the sorceress's well."  
  
"Yes I did. I told you nothing would keep me from you and I meant it." Kagome said looking deeply into his eyes as she grabbed his left hand in her own. "And its non reversible so don't even think about it. I'm staying this way and if you don't like it I have the next couple hundred years to convince you that I'm yours for keeps."  
  
  
  
"Kagome." Inu-yasha breathed before pulling her into his arms. Soaking up the feel of her in his arms Inu-yasha gave thanks to whoever had deemed him worthy of her love. He didn't deserve her but he would spend the rest of his existence trying to become worthy of her. She'd given up everything for him and if that wasn't proof that she loved him then what was. "Gods how I love you Kagome."  
  
"I love you too." Kagome said with a smile of pure happiness. "So do you like my surprise?"  
  
"I love your surprise almost as much as I love you." Inu-yasha said tenderly. Pulling her closer Kagome smiled as he kissed her, pulling her as close as possible. Kissing and caressing they didn't notice Rin smiling and quietly exited the way Kagome had come.  
  
  
  
Hope you enjoyed and I think I end it here. Later I might add on but for know this is it. Thanks for reading and please review so I know what you think.*** 


	4. Rin To The Rescue

Note: Once again I don't own anything but the plot. Thanks to all who have reviewed and please continue. Thanks.

Rin to the Rescue

Rin watched the two kiss for several minutes then realizing she was probably intruding she hopped off the rock she'd sat down on and headed for the direction of Inu yasha's camp where she figured she'd find Shippou and her other friends. Humming happily to herself Rin couldn't wait to tell Shippou what had happened between Inu yasha and Kagome. She'd meet up with Shippou earlier that day while she was picking flowers and he'd told her how sad Inu yasha was about something. That was why she'd gone looking for Inu yasha, to cheer him up until Kagome could come and show him her surprise. And what a surprise, Rin thought with a wide and happy grin. I wonder what I'd look like as a demon, Rin wondered thoughtfully. Kagome's eyes had gone gold like Inu yasha's but her hair had stayed black. What would I look like with golden eyes, Rin thought as she jumped over a fallen tree branch. Maybe I should wish on the well too she thought to herself with a sudden burst of energy. She could wish to be a demon just like Sesshomaru and then he and Jaken would be really happy because Jaken was always complaining that it was an embarrassment to be seen with her and Sesshomaru didn't like her around when he was with other demons. If she was a demon then they'd be proud of her. Having come up with the perfect solution Rin set off to find Sango so that she could tell her what to do to turn into a demon too.

)

Stopping in front of the camp Rin loudly cleared her throat to get their attention so that she wouldn't startle them. She'd startled Jaken once and he hadn't spoken to her for three whole days before Master had told him to stop acting like a child.

"Hello Rin." Sango said looking up from the fire she'd been starting. She had the feeling they wouldn't be going anywhere today and even if Inu yasha thought they were he could forget about it. She'd spent all last night worrying and she was practically dead on her feet.

"Hi Sango, Shippou, Miroku." Rin said cheerfully as she walked into the camp site, perfectly at ease with them now. "How's everything here?"

"You wouldn't believe what Kagome's done!" Shippou said with a grin as he practically vibrated with excitement. "She went to the sorceress's well and wished to become half dog demon and it worked."

"Yea I know, she looks really nice." Rin agreed as she shook her head at his enthusiasm. Master would kill him in minutes if he had to listen to Shippou all day which she wouldn't like since she liked Shippou.

"Is everything okay then?" Sango said with a touch of concern as she looked behind Rin as if she expected Inu yasha and Kagome to appear. "He's not planning on dragging her back to the well or slicing me into little pieces for helping her is he?"

"No, he liked the surprise." Rin said with a smile, pretty sure that he had anyway. "They sure like to kiss each other a lot don't they, Shippou?"

"They were kissing?" Shippou said in disbelief while the adults exchanged knowing looks. It was about time those two got together.

"Yup. Lots." Rin confided. "How come people kiss, Sango?"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh well Rin people like to kiss because... It's a way of showing someone you care about them." Sango said nervously. She'd never expected to have to explain this kinda stuff for at least a couple more years to children of her own.

"So kissing is a way of showing someone that you care." Rin said thoughtfully as she processed that. She'd never kiss anyone that she could remember. "What does kissing someone on the lips feel like?" For some reason Miroku thought her question very funny because he laughed so hard he began to choke and Sango hit him upside the head to shut him up. Quiet now Sango tried to think of how to explain this.

"Kissing is very nice when both people want to be kissed and like each other a lot." Sango said hoping that that would satisfy her for now. Of course it didn't.

"Is it as good as chocolate?" Shippou asked, his curiosity piqued as well as he took up the topic. Kagome had kissed him on the cheek before but never on the lips. What was it like?

"Yes, with the right person it can be as good as chocolate." Sango said with a smile, trust them to compare it to candy.

"I'd be happy to give them a demonstration." Miroku said and before Sango realized what he had planned he'd grabbed her by the waist and laid a big kiss on her startled lips. Feeling his hands on her butt Sango clenched her hands into fists and jabbed her right into his gut with a small war cry. With a whimper he went down with a thud holding onto his bruised stomach muscles in serious pain.

"Pervert." Sango muttered wishing that she'd hit him harder.

)

"I thought you said kissing was nice? How come you hit him?" Rin said watching the monk glare at Sango as he held his stomach.

"It's nice when you want to be kissed. I didn't give him permission to kiss me and I didn't want him to the way he did." Sango said glaring right back at the monk.

"So it's not nice when you don't want to be kissed?" Shippou said thoughtfully putting the pieces together.

"That's right." Sango said as she silently prayed that this was the end of the questioning.

Looking curious Shippou pondered her answer. Curiosity always at a high level he turned to Rin with a questioning look. "May I kiss you, Rin?"

"Okay." Rin said with a curious giggle and puckering her lips allowed Shippou to kiss her squarely on the lips. Pulling back they both giggled and turned to the surprised Sango who hadn't really expected that.

"That wasn't better then chocolate." Shippou declared with a shake of his orange head. "Not that it wasn't nice." He added just in case Rin took offense.

"Well that's because you two are only friends, Shippou. It's when you love the person that your kissing that it's better then chocolate." Miroku said with a leering grin as he looked at Sango suggestively who returned it with an icy glare..

"So that's why it wasn't better then chocolate? Because I don't love Shippou?" Rin said looking at the monk intently always eager to learn more things.

"That's right. You two care about each other as friends, you're not interested in each other romantically otherwise Sesshomaru would have Shippou's head on a platter. Love's the greatest thing in the world and the most important part. Kissing is away of showing that." Sango said with a smile.

"Oh." Rin and Shippou said together.

)

"RIN!!!!" Jaken yelled from the edge of the campsite. "What were you thinking running off again like that? Master will not be pleased at your disobedience." The toad added for good measure. He'd spent the last hour looking for her and he was quite at his breaking point.

"I'm sorry, Jaken" Rin said with a truly sorry face. She knew that Jaken hated watching her and that he couldn't help it that he wasn't a good playmate. "I won't do it again."

"Come now." Jaken said and saying her good byes Rin ran over to him and came to a stop before him.

"I really am sorry, Jaken" Rin said with a pleading look. She hated it when anyone was mad at her but she didn't know what to say to let him know she was sorry for tricking him.

"Come along." Jaken said motioning the way with his walking stick. Heaving a sigh she waved good bye to everyone before turning to follow Jaken Their own campsite was a small distance away and as Jaken wasn't speaking to her Rin thought about her latest discovery. She'd seen people kiss before but she'd never understood why until now. She'd never seen anyone kiss her master the way Inu yasha had kissed Kagome, Rin thought with a frown. Why was that? Wasn't there anyone out there who loved her Master? She loved him, Rin thought to herself but she'd never kissed him because she hadn't realized what kissing was for. Maybe he wouldn't want her to kiss him, Rin thought as she moved some branches out of her way, maybe he'd get mad like Sango and yell at her. But he wouldn't be mad if she was just showing him that she cared, Rin reasoned. Besides, she wanted to know if kissing someone you loved was really better then chocolate.

"Jaken, have you ever kissed someone you loved before?" Rin asked curiously as she looked in front of her. Surprised the demon whirled around to look at her with his surprise written all over his ugly face.

"What did you say?" Jaken said sure that he mustn't have heard her correctly.

"Have you ever kissed someone you loved before?" Rin repeated confused at his expression. He's looking at me like I've grown another head, Rin thought with a barely audible giggle.

"No." Jaken said with a frown that told her to drop the subject on penalty of death. Jaken obviously had never had a kiss that was better then chocolate.

"On last question Jaken? Then I promise to be quiet." Rin said with her most winning smile.

"What?"

"If I were a demon like you would you like me better, Jaken?" Rin asked even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Yes though you'd probably be just as annoying. It's no wonder you humans don't live to be over a hundred, your so annoying people can't wait to get rid of you." Jaken said as he turned to glare at her. "Now silence like you promised."

)

Nodding Rin walked quietly behind him the rest of the way. As they approached the camp a though entered her head. Sango had said that love was the most powerful thing in the world and Kagome had told her that love was what made life worth living. If that was true then what about her master? Her master never showed any emotion what so ever and he didn't kiss anyone either. If love was a person's reason for living then her master had no reason to live! Eyes going wide she realized that she'd never told her mater that she loved him, he didn't know that he was loved. Terrified now Rin began to run and ignoring Jaken's cursing ran with all her might to the campsite. Ignoring the branches and bramble that got in her way and scratched her skin Rin ran like the wind, intent only to get to her master. Running on pure adrenaline she jumped over a large log and ignoring Jaken's orders to stop kept going, hearing nothing but Kagome's words. Coming into a clearing she saw her master waiting for them beside the cave they'd used for sleeping last night.

"Sesshomaru-sama." Rin yelled as raced down the hill, glad to see that he was safe and that he hadn't died yet.

Sesshomaru turned to see Rin running down the hill as though the demons of Hell were after her, his hand automatically going to his sword but sensing no danger. Yelling his name she came down like the wind and running straight at him threw herself at him and began muttering into his armor. Stunned he looked down at her in confusion, what had upset her? Looking up he saw Jaken leaning up against a tree for support but otherwise looking fine. What had the toads done to upset her so? Glaring a promise of retribution Sesshomaru pulled Rin from him and placing a hand under her chin tilted her head up. Tears spilling down her face she looked terrible with her red eyes and several long scratches on her face.

"Who?" Sesshomaru said carefully touching one of the scratches. They didn't look like claw marks and yet he smelled..demon on her. And it wasn't him or Jaken, Sesshomaru realized with a start. But if she'd met up with a demon she'd be dead, Jaken wouldn't have been strong enough to have saved them. He also smelled his brother on her as well as that confounded fox. What was going on here?

"I love you, Master." Rin announced, throwing herself back into his arms. So intent was she to let him know how much she cared that she missed the shocked expression that took over Sesshomaru features.

She loved him? Rin loved him? "What's going on, Jaken?" Sesshomaru growled at his servant who'd finally made it down the hill. Unable to move thanks to Rin's surprisingly strong grip Sesshomaru had to contend himself with glaring at him from a distance.

"I don't know, Milord. We were walking along and then she suddenly picked up speed and ran here as though her life depended upon it." Jaken said with a puzzled shrug. "I sensed no danger and she gave no reason."

Looking down at the sobbing girl Sesshomaru tried to make sense of this. Something had scared her and sent her running back her to him. It had also caused her to find the need to tell him that she loved him. And where did the other demon come in?

"Who was the demon she came into contact with?" Sesshomaru demanded as he set a hand on the girl's head which seemed to calm her some what.

"The only full demon she's come into contact with is that young fox Inu yasha has in his group. The orphan." Jaken said with a look of distaste. "If his parents could see him now."

"Is that who hurt you?" Sesshomaru demanded to know though he severely doubted it. The fox was very young and he couldn't see Rin having any trouble dealing with the demon if it came to that. Even though she was human she wasn't without some strength and though his brother was a disgrace and a bastard he didn't think he'd stand by and allow the fox to harm Rin.

"No one hurt me, Master. Cept for the trees and stuff." Rin said rubbing her eyes to clear them. "Why would you think Shippou would hurt me? He's my friend."

"Then why are you crying? What's upset you?" Sesshomaru demanded as he held her slightly away from him. It looked like she had her emotions under control but he wanted to be prepared in case she threw herself at him again.

"I'm crying because I'm happy, Master." Rin said with her eyes sparkling. "You aren't dead."

"You were crying and you ran away from Jaken because you thought I was dead?" Sesshomaru asked in surprise, wondering where on earth this was going and why did he have a feeling that his brother and those friends of his were partially responsible.

"Yes, Master."

"Why did you think I was dead?" Sesshomaru asked curiously. He'd told her that intended to look over something, he had made no mention of doing anything dangerous today. Why would she get the idea that he was dead.

"Cause I'd never told you I loved you, Master." Rin said with a huge smile as she beamed up at him. "I love you more then anybody else in the world."

"You thought I'd die because you hadn't told me this?" Sesshomaru repeated in surprise. He'd sensed that the child felt some affection for him but he'd had no idea that they ran this deep. But where did she get the idea that he'd die because she hadn't told him so? He didn't have long to wait.

"I thought you'd die because you didn't know that you were loved, Master. Kagome said that love is what makes life worth living and I realized that you don't have anyone to love you so maybe you'd think that your life wasn't worth living. But it is, Master cause I love you!" Rin said in her most serious voice.

"That's why you ran away? Because you thought he'd die because he didn't know you fancy yourself in love with him? What stupidity. Why we didn't just leave you to die with the rest of your pathetic kind is..." Jaken said sarcastically just before Sesshomaru fist connected with his face. Falling to the ground in a heap Jaken lay there and making sure he was out Sesshomaru turned back to Rin.

"A demon doesn't die because he isn't loved, Rin." Sesshomaru said looking down at her with a slightly softer then usual look. "Kagome didn't mean it that way."

"Well I still love you." Rin offered feeling rather foolish.

"And I care for you as well, pup. Now go gather some firewood." Sesshomaru said with a low growl that Rin recognized as a small show of affection.

"Yes, sir." Rin said as she ran off to do his bidding. She'd tell him all about her well plan later on when he wasn't so mad at Jaken


	5. His Honor

***Note: As always I don't own anything but the plot. PLEASE REVIEW otherwise I eon't know whether to continue or not. The fate of all the stories in my head depends upon you to let me know that I'm not wasting my time. So pleasereview and I gope you like this latest chapter.***  
  
On His Honor  
  
  
  
Shesshomaru gaze around him then satisfied that everything was as it should be turned back towards camp. Jakken was already in his bedding and waiting for his master to return while Rin was happily playing with a stick as she drew pictures in the dirt. Shaking his head at the both of them he walked over to the levelest ground and began to take off his armor. When that was completed he lay down on the ground using his tail for a pillow. With a low wuff Rin came bouncing over with a happy smile, her stick still in hand. Realizing this Rin turned around and hurled it away before sinking to her knees in front of him. Surprised Shesshomaru raised an eyebrow. Most nights she was eager to crawl in beside him.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Master, are you still mad at Jakken?" Rin asked with a large smile. She couldn't wait to ask him her two questions.  
  
With a slight shake of his head he waited for her to join him but she remained in front of him grinning like the wolf that got the doe.  
  
"Well then can I ask you two questions before we go to bed?" Rin asked with her most pleading look. With a slight roll of his eyes he nodded.  
  
"Okay. Does kissing someone you love really taste better then chocolate?" Rin said leaning forward in anticipation. "Even if your a demon?"  
  
"WHAT???"  
  
"Is kissing someone you love better then chocolate even if your a demon? Sango said it is for humans and I was wondering if its the same for demons too. Shippou kissed be but it wasn't as good as chocolate." Rin said regretfully.  
  
That little rodent kissed you Shesshomaru thought with a low growl. How dare he lay his hands on his Rin. "He did?" Was the only thing he said though there was a lot of deadly thought going through his head.  
  
"Yup but he ask first so I didn't hit him. Sango said you should ask before you kiss someone or at least make sure they want to be kissed otherwise you might end up like Miroku. He kissed Sango without permission and she belted him in the stomach. It looked like it really hurt." She confided with a hint of laughter. "So does it?"  
  
"I've never had chocolate." Shesshomaru said hiding behind the excuse.  
  
"Well then can I kiss you and see. Cause Sango said that kissing Shippou wasn't better then eating chocolate because I don't love him but I love you more then anything so maybe kissing you would be better then chocolate." Rin said with her sweetest smile. "So can I?"  
  
Shesshomaru felt his eyes go wider then usual at the request. Rin wanted to kiss him to see whether or not it was better then chocolate. What had his bastard brother's friends been telling her? What was he suppose to do? he thought as he looked at her. The thought of kissing a human left a bad taste in his mouth but this was Rin and she wasn't like other humans. Also she seemed bent and determined to find out so what if she went out looking for other demons to test on. Nearly breaking into a sweat at the thought he looked at Rin and tried to think of how to go about doing this.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I won't grope you like the monk did Sango if that's what your worried about." Rin said with a winning smile. "And I won't kiss you without permission, I don't want you to get mad at me and punch me in the stomach, that looks like it really hurts."  
  
"You may kiss me." Shesshomaru growled coming to a decision though he'd much rather take on an army of demons then kiss her. This was so beneath his dignity and station. And he was going to have a talk with the monk too. He shouldn't be acting like a leech in front of Rin. Come to think of it he shouldn't be around Rin at all the leering bastard. If he ever touched Rin he'd be cleaved in two before he even had time to call out for mercy. After he'd slowly and painfully tortured him.  
  
"Thank you." Rin said and leaning over kissed him carefully on his scowling lips before he even had time to prepare. Staying there for a minute she finally raised her head and giggled delightedly. "It really is better then having chocolate!"  
  
For himself Shesshomaru felt as though he'd been hit hard upside the head. It hadn't been disgusting at all he thought with surprise and a touch of worry. He felt all warm and almost happy inside. He was too close to the fire he decided and that was that.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Master. I just have one more question and then I'll go to bed." Rin said happy the way things were going. I wonder if the Master will ever let me kiss him again she wondered to herself as she waited for his answer.  
  
"What?" He said wearily. If she wanted to kiss again she was getting a loud and firm NO.  
  
"Would you like me better if I was a demon?" Rin asked looking at him as though she hadn't just landed a ticking time bomb in his lap.  
  
"Why?" Shesshomaru asked in slight confusion. Why would she ask such a thing. Of course he'd like her better as a demon. Wouldn't he?  
  
"Cause I was thinking that both you and Jakken would like me better if I was a demon so I was thinking that maybe I could go to the well and wish to become one. Then I'd be a demon just like you." Rin said waiting for him to agree with her plan.  
  
"You want to what?" Shesshomaru said in surprise. It had never occurred to him before that they might do this. Turning Rin into a demon would solve so many problems. She was quite smart he thought with a touch of pride, for a human anyway.  
  
"I want to become a dog demon just like you. Can I?" Rin asked with a hopeful smile.  
  
"No." Shesshomaru said before he even realized he meant it. For some reason he didn't want her to be a demon like him. For the life of him he didn't know why but something inside him told him that making Rin a demon wouldn't be fair to her. People like Rin shouldn't be demons, they should be humans. If Rin were a demon she'd lose all the qualities he liked about her. Of course he pushed that last thought out of his head because it was absurd and how dare his mind even think that she was better because she was human. Disgusted with himself Shesshomaru none the less stuck by his reply. "You'll stay human. That's final."  
  
"Yes Master." Rin said feeling rather confused. She'd thought the idea would make her master happy but he obviously hadn't like the idea. Maybe he likes me just the way I am Rin realized and felt a huge smile take over her face. Beaming she quickly crawled over and snuggled up against her master, feeling as though she'd been given the best gift of all. Her master liked her, even if he'd never say so.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The following night Shesshomaru checked to make sure that everything was secure then nodding to Jakken he headed off to find his brother. He knew where to find them and thanks to his spies he found them quiet easily. Landing a few feet away from their camp he was just about to move when he felt a blade slide dangerously close to his neck. Recognizing the blade and the scent of its holder Shesshomaru smirked slightly. "Hello Inu- yasha."  
  
"What are you doing here Shesshomaru?" Inu-yasha demanded as he continued to hold the blade in front of his brother's neck. Kagome may be convinced that his half brother had had only his best interests at heart in his threats to kill her but he thought differently. His brother cared nothing for him and he'd yet to meet his brother in amicable circumstances.  
  
"I haven't come here to kill you in your sleep if that's what your wondering. I'm simply here to speak to your mate and the Demon Exterminator, nothing more." Shesshomaru said looking straight ahead.  
  
"Why?" Inu-yasha demanded suspiciously. He didn't trust his brother one bit and what could his brother possibly want with the girls.  
  
"Inu-yasha, everything all right?" Kagome asked from a small distance away where she stood fully armed, just in case. Thanks to her new heightened sense of smell she could detect Shesshomaru scent and had come to see what he wanted.  
  
"He's fine. I came to speak to you and the other girl that travels with you. Sango I believe is her name." Shesshomaru said with a small smile. The woman had already adapted to her new sense of smell.  
  
"I'll go get her." Kagome said moving to leave. "Unless you want me to stay Inu-yasha?"  
  
"Go get her. I'll stay here." Inu-yasha said with a wolfish smile. "We so rarely get to spend any quality time together."  
  
"Perish the thought." Shesshomaru replied with an identical smile before he realized what he was doing and instantly stepped back into his usual bored expression.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So how is she adapting to her new abilities?" Shesshomaru asked breaking the silence that insured after Kagome had left to get Sango.  
  
"She's adapting fine thanks." Inu-yasha said moving the blade slightly further away from his neck. He still didn't trust him but Kagome was a smart woman and maybe she saw something he couldn't in his brother.  
  
"She suits you." Shesshomaru said before he thought better of it. He seemed to be doing it a lot and he was anything but thrilled about it.  
  
"Thanks, I think." Inu-yasha said not quite sure how to take his brother's comment. Either did his brother if the brief look that had crossed his face was any hint. His brother did appear to be going softer Inu-yasha thought with a wicked grin, how he must hate it.  
  
"Were here." Kagome said as she came out of the shadows with Sango at her side. Both women were visibly armed and weary.  
  
"You will leave Inu-yasha." Shesshomaru said, his eyes only for the girls coming forward.  
  
"I'll stay." Inu-yasha said with a cheeky grin as he removed his sword but made no other move to leave. "If you don't mind."  
  
"My words are for them alone." Shesshomaru said looking over at his brother for the first time since he'd arrived. "They aren't meant for your ears."  
  
"We'll call if we need you Inu-yasha." Kagome said before the two could argue. She knew that it would only end in blood and the last thing she need was too surly demons on her hands. "We'll be fine."  
  
"I swear on the honor of our family, they will come to no harm from me." Shesshomaru said causing Inu-yasha to blink in surprise. His brother had used the word our, it might have been a slip of the tongue but still. His brother never acknowledged him as his blood unless he had to. Maybe Rin really was changing him for the better. His demon kin's honor was everything to his brother, no harm would come to them.  
  
"All right." Inu-yasha said nodding his head. "If they're not back in twenty minutes I'm coming back."  
  
"Understood." Shesshomaru said rather surprised his brother had given in that easily. He watched his brother share a look with his mate before making his way through the trees to give him privacy.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you want Shesshomaru?" Sango said when Shesshomaru had quit looking in Inu-yasha's direction to look at them.  
  
"I have a favor to ask." Shesshomaru said practically choking on the words. He'd been reduced to asking the help of a human and a former one. My the Gods I'm going soft Shesshomaru thought in disgust.  
  
"You want us to do you a favor?" Kagome said raising an eyebrow at the thought. What could they possibly do that Shesshomaru couldn't. "What kind of favor?"  
  
"I need you to promise me on your lives that you will not tell Rin how to use the sorceress's well. She has sworn to stay away from it but I wish to make sure." Shesshomaru said with an icy look that just dared them to be stupid enough to comment. It would be so much easier to kill them both but Rin would never forgive him. "I will also expect you to inform me if she comes to you about it."  
  
"You want us to promise not to help Rin use the well and tell you if she tries to? But why would you want us to do that?" Sango said in confusion as she pushed her bangs out of her face. What did Rin want to wish for?  
  
"If you promise to do it then I will do something for you two in trade for your help. I will put you both under my protection." Shesshomaru said, actually visibly grimacing at the thought.  
  
"What do you mean, under your protection?" Sango asked suspiciously.  
  
"If you are under my protection then demons will be less likely to seek you out. Kagome will be less likely to be killed once word gets out that she's Inu-yasha's mate and when she starts bearing Inu-yasha's pups. Demons will not seek you out Sango because you are an exterminator and wish to prove themselves or end your killing. Demons will also be less likely to hunt you to revenge what you've done in the past." Shesshomaru said looking everywhere but at them. This was so degrading.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You'd do that just to keep us from helping Rin use the well?" Kagome said still blushing from the pups comment. Whatever Rin wanted to wish for must be pretty bad if he was willing to go to such lengths to prevent her from making her wish.  
  
"Yes, do I have your word?" Shesshomaru demanded feeling rather edgy about all this. Could he trust these humans to keep their word. Even though Kagome was now part demon she'd still been human first and Rin was the only human out of thousands that he'd met that showed any admirable qualities.  
  
"I'll do it." Kagome said with a nod. "I don't know what it is your trying to stop her from wishing for but I know how much you care for her. If you don't think that she should do it then I'm sure your doing what's best for her."  
  
Rather annoyed that she would think such absurd ideas Shesshomaru none the less held his tongue. He didn't care for her that much. She belonged to him, he was simply protecting a possession.  
  
"I'll do it too. But if I hear that your not keeping your part of the bargain I'll take Rin to the well myself." Sango said looking at him with distrust. A smart woman this Sango Shesshomaru thought with a nod.  
  
"Then we have a deal." Shesshomaru said nodding his head again. Turning to leave he remembered Rin's request. Pulling a letter from his robe he held it out to Kagome. "From Rin."  
  
"Thank you." Kagome said taking the letter from him with a smile. "If you want you can leave her with us anytime. We'd be glad to give Jakken a beak." Raising an eyebrow he nodded his head again before bounding off into the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
Several minutes later Shesshomaru stopped in mid leap when he heard his name being called from behind him. Staying on top of the tree limb he'd been about to leave he was soon joined by a gasping Kagome who landed beside him. "Gee your fast." She said running a hand through her hair.  
  
"What do you want?" Shesshomaru demanded looking over at her in surprise. Was she going to go back on her word? Typical human.  
  
"This is for you." She said holding out a rectangular shape wrapped in a shiny material. Reaching out his hand he accepted the object and looked at it curiously. It smelled like nothing he'd ever smelled before and it was rather pleasant, rather sweet in fact.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's chocolate. Rin mentioned in her letter that you'd never had any. She asked if I wouldn't mind giving you some. You remove the wrapping and then you eat it. Enjoy." Kagome said with a grin before she hopped off the tree and headed for home.  
  
Watching her go in the moonlight Shesshomaru raised an eyebrow before looking back at his strange gift. Holding it up to his nose again he looked in the direction she'd come suspiciously. So this was chocolate he thought turning it over in his hands after his nose failed to recognize most of the scents coming from the food. Looking around him he carefully sat down on the sturdy branch and quickly unwrapped the shiny paper as she'd instructed. Inside was a flat, brown substance that was flat that was made up of several squares put together. It smelled even better without the wrapping on Shesshomaru thought with a small smile. Shesshomaru knew he probably shouldn't eat it, it could be poisonous. But Kagome couldn't possible be that stupid e reasoned and he was curious to try it. Carefully looking at it Shesshomaru held it up to his mouth and bit down. Chewing the substance he swallowed and looked down at what was left of it. He would get more of this chocolate he decided as he finished eating the rest of the delicious chocolate. He could grow to like this human food. 


	6. Gotta Luv Earth Holidays

Note: As always I own nothing but the plot and some of the crazy character personality traits. I hope you've liked the story so far and thanks to all who've been reviewing cause I love to hear what you think. PLEASE REVIEW THIS CHAP AND GIVE ME IDEAS FOR FURTHER CHAPS CAUSE I'M RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS AND A FRESH PERSPECTIVE IS ALWAYS WELCOME. Thanks and have a great day after reading this. Ciao.  
  
  
  
Gotta Luv Earth Holidays  
  
  
  
Kagome stared down at the racing river before her and wondered if she'd ever seen such a perfect fall day in her whole life. The sky was shining, the leaves were brightly coloured and their was a hint of nip to the air. A perfect fall day. Watching the reeds sway to and fro with the wind Kagome reached out a hand to push her long black mane out of her face as her sensitive nose breathed in the scents and her ears took in the sounds. Thanks to her new status as a half demon she was rediscovering the world around her like it was her first time. Everything around her had a smell to learn and thanks to her nose and ears she was able to see so much more then before. There was a village nearby that they were going to stop at today and she smiled widely as she smelled the scents of the market that came to the village every week to display their goods. Unfortunately she wouldn't be able to go with Sango and Miroku into the village but it was nice simply to be near by.  
  
  
  
In the last few weeks she'd learned what it was like to be Inu-yasha, to have everyone afraid of you and run from the sight of you and she had to admit it was rather depressing. It didn't matter whether you meant them harm or not, they simply saw someone with demon blood and assumed the worst possible scenario. She was also beginning to get the feeling that Inu- yasha blamed himself for the fact that she could no longer mingle with her own kind without them going into a panic. She'd tried to explain that yes it hurt but she'd rather have him any day but she could see that it didn't help much. Sighing Kagome finally got fed up with the way her hair kept getting in her face and reached into her pocket for an elastic to put her hair back when her fingers brushed up against a piece of paper. Leaving the search for the hair elastic Kagome pulled out the paper and un crumbled it. It was a letter from her mother she'd gotten a couple of weeks ago when she'd slipped into the house under the cover of darkness. Running one long nail against the paper and sighed as her eyes scanned the sheet she'd read countless times before. Her mother had included all sorts of ideas for how to get along in the wilderness and be a good wife. She talked about the plans that she was making to decorate the house for Halloween and all the candy she was going to buy. That's it Kagome thought suddenly as an idea popped into her head. That's how she could get to see her family, be around humans without fear and have a great time too. Now all I have to do is convince the others.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You want to do what?" Inu-yasha said raising an eyebrow at his mate's crazy idea. "Kagome, you and Shippou can't go to your world, you'll end up locked up in some lab or hurt. Your not human anymore, they won't except you."  
  
"On any other night but Halloween I'd agree with you Inu-yasha." Kagome said, her eyes shining with excitement. "But on Halloween we'd look normal and everyone who saw us would think we were just dressed up."  
  
"What's so special about this night?" Miroku asked curiously. "And why take Shippou with you?"  
  
"Well you see on this night everyone dresses up as something or someone that they're not. You can be anyone you want and Shippou and I will simply be going as demons." Kagome said eagerly as she explained. "You know I wouldn't take Shippou if I didn't think it was safe. After dark the children of the town go door to door to get treats and just think of all the ramens we could bring back."  
  
"People will just give me candy? For nothing. How much candy?" Shippou said his eyes going wide as he imagined all the lovely candy he could get and eat simply by asking people for it. "Can I go Inu-yasha, please can I go? I'll be really good and I won't cause any trouble and I promise to listen to Kagome and be on my best behaviour and you won't have to put up with me for a whole day." Shippou added knowing that Inu-yasha would like that idea.  
  
"I'll go with them Inu-yasha." Sango said with a shrug. "I think that the two of us can handle anything that they dish out and it will give you two guys some time to yourselves."  
  
"I'd rather me human." Inu-yasha said sending a glare in the monk's direction. "But if your sure.."  
  
"I'm sure, we could even take Rin with us." Kagome said with a smile as she threw her arms around his neck. Placing a wet kiss on his mouth she stopped him before he could even get to his conditions.  
  
"EEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Master, I have here a letter from Inu-yasha's bitch." Jakken said holding out a letter in his hands while Rin danced around him happily having spent the last couple of hours playing with Shippou and Sango.  
  
"What does she want now?" Sesshomaru muttered as he took the paper from Jakken. Reading Kagome's request Sesshomaru looked down at Rin who was looking up at him with as close to a puppy dog look as she could get. "Rin?"  
  
"You get free candy Master." Rin said excitedly practically jumping up and down with joy. "I get to dress up and see Kagome's world and Kagome and Sango will take good care of me and there's no demons where she use to live so you don't have to worry about that."  
  
"Halloween?" Sesshomaru said looking at his servant expectedly but received only a shrug from Jakken. "You wish to go." he comment on the obvious.  
  
"I'll be really good and I'll bring you back some chocolate." Rin said unknowingly hitting a weak spot. Thanks to Rin and Kagome he'd developed a taste for this chocolate stuff and unfortunately he had yet to find anyone here who knew how to make it.  
  
"You can go." Sesshomaru said as he nodded his head. He knew Jakken could use a day away from Rin and he was getting rather sick of the toad's constant complaining. Besides he'd be able to get a lot more accomplished in the ways of raiding and checking over territory without Rin around. However bad her taste in mate's was Kagome and the Demon Hunter were capable of watching over and caring for Rin despite their pitiful strength. Plus the completely human world Kagome use to live in was no threat to the two.  
  
"It's in three days Master. We're suppose to meet them at the well before sunset and then will come back a little after sunrise the next day. Kagome's going to lend me one of her old costumes so you don't have to worry about that either." Rin said with a happy smile. Throwing her arms around his waist she squeezed him tight. "Thank you, thank you Master."  
  
"Rin." Sesshomaru said in warning and understanding Rin let him go quickly and simply showed her happiness by smiling brightly at him.  
  
"Thank the Gods." Jakken said under his breath.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure about this." Inu-yasha asked for the hundredth time. He didn't like the idea but she hadn't given him the time to complain half as much as he'd wanted to.  
  
"I'm sure. Shippou and I are fearsome demons, Sango is a demon slayer out to kill us and Rin's the beautiful princess Shippou and I are out to get." Kagome said with an evil look as she grinned up at him before placing a light butterfly kiss on his lips. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. If not we'll come home. Promise."  
  
"All right." Inu-yasha said as he gave up the losing battle. The truth of the matter was that it was more the thought of her being away from him then the thought of what could happen while she was in her own time that made him protest. She was making him weak he thought with a touch of self disgust. "But be careful okay."  
  
"Promise." Kagome said and the two kissed as the other three people with them looked anywhere but at them.  
  
"Why do they have to do that so much." Shippou asked Sango as his face screwed up in disgust. 'We're going to be getting chocolate tonight anyway."  
  
"You'll figure it out when your older." Sango said with a smirk as she watched how easily Kagome manipulated Inu-yasha. She was turning him into a marshmallow one kiss at a time.  
  
"So you going to miss me?" Miroku ask as he lay his right hand on her rear as he slipped the other under her breasts. Before she had time to seriously do some damage the monk found himself dangling in mid air being held up by the neck by a very strong and deadly demon. Feeling his face go blue from lack of oxygen Miroku stared up at Sesshomaru in complete confusion.  
  
"Sango?" Sesshomaru asked raising an eyebrow as blood began to appear on Miroku neck where Sesshomaru's claws had begun to draw blood. He would kill him if I said to Sango realized with a start. In fact she'd bet that that was exactly what he wanted to do.  
  
"Let him go." Sango said surprised by the fact that he'd asked and that she was so sure about his intentions towards Miroku. Not quite liking her answer as she'd suspected Sesshomaru threw Miroku into the nearby woods instead on just setting him down. Everyone winced as the sound of contact with nature came and the silence that followed.  
  
Surprised at his brother's actions Inu-yasha lifted an eyebrow and looked at his half brother curiously with a small smirk on his face. "Well that was out of character."  
  
"I keep my word." Sesshomaru said looking at Sango without emotion. For some reason he'd felt a great deal of rage when he'd seen the monk place his hands upon her and he was rather sorry when he heard the sounds of Miroku groaning signalling that the bastard was still alive.  
  
"Thanks." Sango said rather surprised at his actions. She known that he probably would keep his word but had a feeling that he hadn't planned to let her know it. There had also been something in his eyes when he'd asked her what to do with Miroku, something she didn't understand. "Where's Rin?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right here." Rin said as she and Jakken came out of the trees dragging a very damaged and repenting Miroku who was in too much pain to complain about being dragged like a sack of grain. "Did he try and kiss you again without permission Sango?"  
  
"Worse. How bad is he?" Kagome asked with a shake of her head as she walked over to see how badly he was hurt. The monk constantly got himself hurt trying to charm and feel girls but she had a feeling he wouldn't bounce back quite so easily this time." Does he need a doctor? Miroku are you still conscious? Can you hear me?"  
  
"Been better." Miroku gasped in more pain then he'd been in a long time and not quite sure whether or not he should try to get up. Especially since Sango probably wanted to add in her kicks too. Damn but the demon had damn near killed him. He hadn't even heard him coming, one minute he was there where a second ago he wasn't. And why the sudden protectiveness of Sango? And is he going to try it again Miroku wondered as he stared over at the demon who stood a short distance away beside Sango and Rin. "Where did you come from?"  
  
"You'll leave her alone." Sesshomaru said simply and as always expecting his command to be followed to the tee. "Behave." he added simply to Rin before nodding to Jakken who immediately moved from his position near the monk and headed back the way they'd come seconds before.  
  
"I will Master." Rin said beaming up at him and for a moment Sesshomaru was tempted to smile back at her which only put him in a fouler mood then before and he could just barely stop himself from snarling. Instead he nodded hi head again then began to walk towards the forest where Jakken was patiently waiting for him. Turning around one last time he sent Inu-yasha a look promising revenge should anything happen to Rin. Understanding Inu- yasha gave his brother a short nod before turning his attention back to the monk lying still on the grass where Rin and Jakken had dumped him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Watching them go Sango smiled though for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. Shrugging she turned her attention back to Miroku who was being helped up by Inu-yasha and Kagome. "How bad is he hurt?"  
  
"He'll live." Inu-yasha stated with a roll of his eyes as he helped Kagome pick up the injured monk. "Unfortunately for the females in the world."  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome said with a warning look as she held onto Miroku's other shoulder. "Can you stand by yourself Miroku? Are you sure you should be getting up?"  
  
"I'll live sweet Kagome." Miroku said rather dramatically as he attempted to stay on his feet though he'd have much rather keeled over in pain. What was with Inu-yasha's brother anyway? Half strangling him then throwing him into the forest like that. What had he done to deserve that? And what were the chances that Sango would think him punished enough already.  
  
"You four go ahead and have a good time. I'll take the moron to the nearest village to be fixed up and I'll be here for you tomorrow." Inu- yasha said motioning to the well with his head as he tried not to think about having only the monk for company that night. "You wouldn't want to miss out on all that candy now would you."  
  
"Be good." Kagome said letting go of Miroku after grabbing him to steady him. Moving she kissed him passionately on the lips then carefully drew away placing a loving hand on his cheek. Picking up Shippou Kagome held him in her arms and smiled at Inu-yasha as she walked over to the well. "Sango? Rin?"  
  
"I've got her." Sango said picking up Rin who happily curled her arms around her neck as they joined Kagome by the well. "Let's do it."  
  
Both waving last good byes the four trick-o-treaters jumped into the well one after the other. Watching them go Inu-yasha sighed before looking down at the monk trying desperately to remain standing at his side. "Well I think you'll be leaving Sango alone from now on huh?" Inu-yasha said with a grin as his friend glared back at him and the truth of his comment.  
  
"Shut up and get me to a healer." Miroku grumbled as he began to weave. Rolling his eyes Inu-yasha picked up his friend and slugged him over his shoulder. Ignoring his friend's sounds of outrage Inu-yasha took off running and flying through the air headed for the nearest village where he could leave the stupid monk and figure out how to spent the next hours without Kagome. 


	7. Weak like Humans

Note: Sorry this took so long but I wanted to think this all through before I wrote it out and writer's block didn't help much. Thanks to all those who've reviewed my story so far cause I really appreciate it. I really want to get it to over a hundred reviews and thank to you, the readers, I'm almost there. Also thanks to the people who've written in to point out errors, I've corrected two of them in this one and if you keep pointing them out I'll keep trying to fix things. (special note, the character Mr. Mattews is an inside joke, that's why I put him in using an English last name as oppose to Japanese) Thanks again to everyone and please review so that I know what you think. Thanks.  
  
  
  
Reduced to Weak Humans  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru flinched as his half-breed brother landed on a nearby rock within a few feet of him, big mistake. For some reason he hadn't sensed him until he'd been almost upon him; probably thanks to his thoughts. He'd come to the cliffs to be alone and think about things and the last thing he needed or wanted right now was Inu-yasha's company. Growling low in his throat Sesshoumaru hoped he'd take the warning and leave him to his own council. But of course being the stupid pup that Inu-yasha was he was too dimwitted to realize the danger he was in for daring to approach him Sesshoumaru thought with a touch of disgust for his only living blood kin.  
  
"Well hello to you too." Inu-yasha said with a smirk as he sat down on the rock, grinning at his brother's reaction to his arrival. Two years ago he would have never have gotten this close to his older brother without his knowledge and his brother's blade would have been at his throat the moment he'd landed. He really was going soft Inu-yasha thought with glee; glad he hadn't been the only one to be taken down by a slip of a girl.  
  
"What do you want half breed." Sesshoumaru growled as he glared at his brother with golden eyes full of ice. The same color as his own, Inu-yasha realized having never thought to look for similarities before between the two. In fact if it weren't for his brother's pretty boy looks you might say they looked like the brothers they were.  
  
"I just thought you'd like to know that you broke three of the monk's ribs and seriously damaged several bones in his neck and hands." Inu-yasha said with a smirk as he remembered how the monk had yelled and complained like the weak human he was. "It was pathetic. Speaking of which, why you did what you did is beyond me. Seems to me you looked like you wanted to do a lot worse and that makes me wonder why."  
  
"Is he always like that?" Sesshoumaru asked as he snuffed out the urge to grin at the thoughts of causing more damage to the monk. He'd never liked the ponytailed leech who had tried to disguise himself as a monk and his brother had shown surprising patience in allowing him to live this long.  
  
"Pretty much. You've probably prevented him from trying anything for at least a couple of months anyway." Inu-yasha said with a shake of his head at the monk's stupidity not even realizing that he and his brother were having a regular conversation for the first time in their shared history. "I almost feel sorry for the rat; you were serious when you said you'd kill him if he did it again weren't you?"  
  
"His status as alive will end if he attempts to try his lecherous ways on Rin, Sango or your mate." Sesshoumaru said turning his gaze back to the sky shining in front of him like diamonds caught in black silk. "Tell him that."  
  
"I'd rip out his throat and feed it to him if he ever tried to grope Kagome. As for Rin he'd never risk our wrath. I made it perfectly clear that he'd cease to draw breath if he tried anything. Just in case." Inu- yasha said with a fierce look that suggested protectiveness for both of them.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You speak of Rin with affection." Sesshoumaru stated in surprise, it had never occurred to him that his brother might feel affection for his charge as well. Rin spoke fondly of all the members of Inu-yasha's group and the affection she obviously held for his bastard brother and his mate had surprised him, even more then learning the feelings were returned.  
  
"She's a sweet kid. You're raising her well." Inu-yasha said then instantly wished he could take it back. By all the gods Kagome was turning him into a weak human. Here he was trying to start a conversation with a demon who hated him more then words and who'd tried to kill him on numerous occasions. Why all of a sudden had he developed this need to try and get to know this brother of his that he'd hated for so long. Maybe it was Kagome's constant harping or Rin's praise but something inside him wanted to know this side of him that only they seemed to be able to see. He must have been told to sit one to many times Inu-yasha thought darkly, it's effecting my mind.  
  
Shocked Sesshoumaru gazed over at his half brother in shock. His brother had just complimented him? On raising Rin?  
  
"So why did you attack the monk Sesshoumaru? It has something to do with that meeting you three had a couple of weeks ago doesn't it?" Inu-yasha said, quick to change the subject.  
  
"It's none of your business." Sesshoumaru growled not willing to reveal the obvious weakness he'd developed for Rin, especially to Inu-yasha of all people. It had been bad enough asking for the females help without his brother knowing about it.  
  
"Well in that case lets discuss the comment you made to Kagome about never mortally wounding me. Last time I checked you once jabbed your hand through my stomach and I ended up flat on my back for several days." Inu- yasha said to take his mind off his last out of character comment. "Last time I checked that would be considered a mortal wound. If I'd been human I'd have died where I stood."  
  
"You're still alive aren't you?" Sesshoumaru pointed out as he turned to look at his brother once again. "If I'd meant to kill you then I would have. I knew you'd live, you're like a bad coin, impossible to get rid of."  
  
"Gee thanks." Inu-yasha said rather glad to know that Sesshoumaru hadn't meant to kill him. Sesshoumaru was probably just saying that because he didn't want to admit that he hadn't succeeded but it was a nice thought.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Have you ever faced this teacher known as Mr. Mattews?" Sesshoumaru asked remembering the conversation he and Kagome had had that night.  
  
"Kagome's spoke of him, he's suppose to be really hard on his students, why?" Inu-yasha asked wondering why Sesshoumaru would ask about Kagome's former science teacher.  
  
"Your mate suggested that he'd be a worthy opponent in battle." Sesshoumaru said with a smirk. "It's been a long time since I've fought someone who presented a challenge, if he's as powerful as she made him out to be I would welcome the chance to face him."  
  
"Really, maybe I should arrange a match myself. He's human so I'd imagine he wouldn't be a challenge for either of us but its possible he might be skilled enough to make things interesting." Inu-yasha said grinning at the thought of a real battle. Now that all the shards had been retrieved he hadn't had the chance to really battle in a long time.  
  
His brother's demon blood might have been thinned but it still flows true Sesshoumaru thought with a grin of his own before reverting back to his normal expression. "You can have whatever's left over." He said as he raised a challenging eyebrow at his brother. "What kind of name is Mr. Mattews anyway?"  
  
"He's from some place called Canada which is far away from Japan. He transferred to her school for a term and Kagome got her lowest mark in science ever in his class." Inu-yasha said with a rather pained look as he remembered how many times she'd complained about it. "Boy did he give her a lot of homework too. We would have gotten all the shards and defeated Naraku much faster if he hadn't loaded her down so much of the stuff."  
  
"Why didn't you just kill the bastard and get it over with?" Sesshoumaru said as he absently pushed a few strands of white hair from his face. "You've never been one to tolerate things getting in the way of something you want."  
  
"I wanted to kill him but Kagome wouldn't let me. She said that he was preparing her for dealing with me on a regular basis." Inu-yasha said with a snort.  
  
"Then he will make an interesting opponent." Sesshoumaru said with a grin of his own at the thought of facing this human Kagome had compared to his brother. Half demon or not his brother had always been a worthy adversary and if this human was as skilled then it would be a battle worthy of his time. "Maybe you could convince your mate to bring him here for a visit sometime?"  
  
"Maybe." Inu-yasha said with a similar grin that said he was following his brother's line of thought. Their smiles were identical in fact though neither would be really thrilled to be told that. "I should be going anyway, there's some business I need to take care of before they return tomorrow." Standing up Inu-yasha watched his brother turn back to staring at the stars in front of them before turning around to fly back into the forest he'd come from.  
  
Sensing rather then watching his brother leave Sesshoumaru waited until he was far away before glancing over at the rock his brother had sat upon. Their females really were turning them into weak humans Sesshoumaru thought with a shake of his head, sending his white tresses flying. If their father could see them now Sesshoumaru thought as he continued to stare out at the world around him.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile,  
  
  
  
"I still say that my demon slayer garbs would have worked just fine." Sango said as she fiddled with the robes of her dress. "I'm a slayer, not a princess." She added as she stood beside Kagome in the hallway while they waited for Rin and Shippou to come down. It was finally dark enough to go out trick-or-treating and the girls knew that the children had been going stir crazy waiting for the night to come.  
  
"You look fine Sango." Kagome said looking in the mirror to make sure the stripes she'd drawn on hadn't smudged at all. She was dressed in robes similar to what she normally wore on important occasions and she looked ever inch the dog demon she was suppose to be; minus the tail of course. Her black ears twitching Kagome shared a look with Sango as the two kids came down the stairs sounding rather like elephants to Kagome's sensitive ears. Cupping her poor ears in her hands Kagome gave a sigh of relief when the two whirlwinds came to a grinding halt in front of her, ending their stampede. Wearing his finest robes Shippou looked the part of a fierce fox demon cub, complete with a small, jeweled dagger tucked into his sash and an evil look in his mischievous eyes. Beside him Rin looked just like the princess she was suppose to be in a beautiful pink kimono with sakura blossoms all over it. Both practically jumping for joy Kagome and Sango couldn't help but grin at their enthusiasm.  
  
"Is it time to go know Kagome? Is it, is it?" Shippou asked the same thing he'd been asking for the last hour and a half until Kagome's brother had lured them into learning how to play his video games.  
  
"Yes, we can go now. You two go get your treat bags okay." Kagome said and before she could even finish the sentence they were rushing up the stairs causing her ears to ring. "Quietly." Kagome added uselessly as they were making too much noise to hear her much less do as she said.  
  
"A little loud for you." Sango said stating the obvious. Inu-yasha had often complained about the amount of noise Shippou made and Kagome had always told him to quit complaining because it couldn't possibly be that bad. Kagome obviously knew better now.  
  
"God how dogs must suffer." Kagome said as she rubbed her poor ears. "I never realized what we were putting them through until now. I swear I'll never talk above a whisper in a dog's presence ever again."  
  
"So do you think you two can handle them all by your self?" Kagome's mother asked as she walked into the room. She was getting use to her daughter's new look and had taken it much better then the others. "They'll be quite the handful. I remember when I use to take you and your brother out, you'd always be going all over the place and eager to stuff your face."  
  
"We'll survive mom." Kagome said and smelling them coming quickly placed her hands over her ears as the kids in question came back down the same way they'd gone up.  
  
"We're ready." Shippou announced holding up one of Kagome's pillowcases in the air while Rin held up another. "And Sota taught us what to say so you two don't have to worry about teaching it to us."  
  
"And what exactly would that be." Kagome said suspiciously as she looked towards a nearby door where she could hear her brother getting ready for the dance that was being held at his school. Her brother was a normal boy with a boy's love of the obscene and disgusting.  
  
"Shall we show them Rin?" Shippou said with a grin as he puffed up his chest. Nodding her head in agreement Shippou and Rin began to sing the familiar rhyme that she and Sota had said when they'd gone out trick-or- treating every year.  
  
"Trick or treat, trick or treat, give me something good to eat."  
  
"Add a please onto the end and that'll work." Kagome said glad that her brother had had the sense not to teach them anything inappropriate.  
  
"You look really pretty as a princess Sango." Rin said shyly as she played with her hair that she'd left down to frame her face.  
  
"Thanks, but lets get something straight. If I have to be a princess then I'm the princess of the demon slayers okay." Sango said as she rolled her eyes at the way Shippou was practicing making scary faces in the hall mirror.  
  
"Understood." Kagome said with a grin as she pushed her hair forward so that it covered the fact that she no longer had ears on the sides of her head anymore. "Okay lets go through the rules one more time and then we'll go. Shippou, rule number one."  
  
"Always say please and thank you no matter what they give you." Shippou said fairly vibrating with excitement. "Even if it's disgusting." He added with a grin. "Cause we can always give it to the guys when we get back."  
  
"And rule number two is that we don't eat anything until you and Sango have looked it over to make sure its okay for us to eat." Rin added with a grin. "Cause it's the safe thing to do."  
  
"Rule number three is that we can't tell anyone who we really are. Rin and I are orphans and Inu-yasha adopted me and Sesshoumaru adopted Rin. We live in the wilderness and we don't speak Japanese very well." Shippou said with a grin.  
  
"Oh and if we get lost were suppose to go to the nearest house and get directions using the map that you gave us Kagome." Rin said pulling hers from her pocket to show them.  
  
"Excellent." Kagome said nodding her head. I think you two are ready to see what Halloween is all about."  
  
  
  
Thanks for reading everybody. I really appreciate it and I have a favor to ask. Could you please put anything you know about Kagome's school friends and this Hojo guy in the review. I don't know anything about them and it would be fun for Kagome to meet up with some of them. As always any suggestions would be appreciated and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!!! 


	8. Halloween Night

Note: I really did intend to update this before now but I got started on other projects and that plus school resulted in this story being forgotten. However since people keep reviewing it I couldn't miss its popularity and so I'm continuing it, even going to try and update it more regularly. Thanks for your reviews and please continue to do so. Also I'm aware that they don't have Halloween in Japan, I just chose to say that in this time they celebrate it, I'm sure they do have festivals that are similar anyway.

Halloween Night

Kagome held Shippou's hand tightly in her own as they stepped out of her driveway and gazed out at her old neighbourhood. She had the strangest feeling that something wasn't quite right but that could be attributed to the fact that she was a half demon and Shippou was a full demon about to go trick-or-treating in a world that didn't know that demons like them existed. Rolling her shoulders Kagome smiled at him as she absently fingered the strap that held her arrows to her back. Inu-yasha had insisted she bring her bow and arrows just in case so she'd opted to use them as part of her costume. "You two all set to go?" Kagome asked looking to her right side where Sango stood with Rin's hand in her Sango's.

"Let's get this show on the rode." Sango said, borrowing one of Sota's expressions. She liked Kagome's brother and he had reminded Sango of her own brother, of what her brother might have been like had he lived. But now was not the time. "Let's go."

"Yeah!" Shippou and Rin called out, practically vibrating as they eagerly awaited their adventure. 

"All right then, lets go." Kagome said and with a sigh they took a short walk down the sidewalk before coming to a stop in front of the driveway of the first house. The previous owners had moved according to Kagome's mother but apparently the new residents were really nice and Kagome was glad to start off with someone who didn't know her and would want to ask questions. "Here's our first stop." Moving with surprising speed the children practically dragged Kagome and Sango to the door in their hurry to get there. Pressing the doorbell for them Kagome let go of Shippou's hand and let him and Rin stand in front of the door while she and Sango watched from a safe distance.

"Well hello there, if we don't have a demon and a princess at our door." A kindly looking old woman said as she opened the door to smile down at the two children beaming up at her. "So nice of you to come."

"Trick-or-treat." Rin and Shippou called out merrily. "Happy Halloween." Rin added just in case. As they were leaving some kids had stopped at Kagome's house and had said that too.

"Well Happy Halloween to you too." The woman said with a wider smile. "Now just give me a second to grab some treats for the demon and princess." Reaching behind her she handed Rin and Shippou each a bag of pocky and a small bag of orange and black jellybeans. "Here you go."

Eagerly taking the treats from her they put it in their bags, thrilled with their first treats. "Thank you very much." They said with big grins and smiling back the woman nodded to them, then to the adults who'd been watching with smiles on their faces. Once the door was closed the two rushed to the girls' side and eagerly told them what they had gotten and how they'd said thank you even though the girls had been right there the whole time.

"Good job you two, you're going to be master trick-or-treaters by the end of tonight." Kagome said with a wide wink. "Now let's keep going, wouldn't want them to run out of candy before we get there now would we?" Of course the answer was several resounding nos.

"Well then it's off to the next house." Kagome said taking Shippou's hand once again, just in case. They quickly walked to the next house and this time the children were nearly bowled over when the woman who open the door whizzed past them and practically threw herself at Kagome who'd already braced for impact, just in case.

"Kagome, oh you dear girl you're home!" The woman said catching Kagome in a crushing hug that made Kagome thank god she was a half demon and could take it. "When did you get home? How long are you staying? I bet your parents are pleased as punch."

"We're just here for the day, Mrs. Honda, passing through on the way home." Kagome said when she could get a word in. "I wanted the children to have a chance to experience Halloween so we dropped in today on the way back to our home."

"Oh and aren't they just the cutest." Mrs. Honda said letting go of Kagome to round on Shippou who'd moved to Sango's side, just in case the woman tried to attack them too. "They're not yours are they, you're far to young!" She added but with a gleam in her eye. Kagome had missed a lot of school and then had gone off and disappeared, to a job offer far away but Mrs. Honda had always questioned that. The girl had black hair and brown eyes like Kagome after all.

"No, not by blood anyway. My finance and I adopted Shippou after his parents were killed in a tragic accident." Kagome said motioning to Shippou. "And Rin is my future brother-in-law's ward. Oh and this is Sango, a very good friend of mine."

"How lovely, fiancé did you say?" Mrs. Honda said coyly. "You're not wearing a ring."

"That's because Inu-yasha intends to give her his mother's ring, unfortunately Kagome's fingers are smaller then his mother's so it's being adjusted to fit better." Sango said smoothly with a winning smile. Now here was a definite gossiper. Vultures every last one of them.

"Inu-yasha, what an unusual name." Mrs. Honda continued with a gleam in her eye as she prepared to pump Kagome with details about everything, what a scoop to tell the girls tomorrow over cards. 

"Kagome, we should get going, weren't we suppose to stop at your friend's house soon?" Sango asked sweetly. "I don't mean to interrupt but I'm sure you know how children hate to wait Mrs. Honda and Kagome has so many friends we've promised to drop in on."

"Of course dear, you two just hold on a second while I get you your candy." Mr. Honda said from the doorway, coming to see what was taking his wife so long. "How are you, Kagome?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Very well, thank you, Mr. Honda." Kagome said with a warm smile having always liked Mr. Honda, much more then his wife to be sure. "I hope you and the family is well."

"We're all hail and hardy, here you go you two." Mr. Honda said dropping handfuls of candy in to each of the children's bags as he had done for Kagome and Sato. "So this is Shippou, your mother's mentioned him, Kagome. Nice to meet you young man."

"Thank you very much, sir." Shippou said respectively, puffing up his chest in importance. "This is Rin and thank you for the candy and Happy Halloween."

"You're very welcome when Rin echoed Shippou's words. "I hope you'll stop by another time."

"Thank you again." Kagome said with a weary smile as she quickly and with experience herded the children and Sango away from the house and let off a loud sigh when they reached the pavement. "I knew I should have avoided that house but they always give out truckloads of candy so my brother and I usually put up with the cheek pinching and questions."

"Could have been worse." Sango said pointing to the children who were staring into their bags in wonder at all the candy they'd collected already, picturing how much more they'd have before the night was over.

"Good point." Kagome said with a knowing smirk. They were going to be hell to put to bed tonight with all the sugar they'd have eaten by the end of the night. But oh well, that was a big part of Halloween too.

"Look at them! What are they suppose to be, Kagome?" Rin asked pointing to four children who were about to walk past them. Two of them were wearing something similar to Kagome's school uniform only in different colours and their skirts were shorter and the top was slightly different too. The third was wearing blue jeans, black shirt and a red baseball cap. The forth was wearing all black and had ears, whiskers and a limp tail pinned to her behind.

"The girls in the skirts are Sailor Scouts, the boy in the jeans is from an anime called Pokemon and the other girl's a cat." Kagome said with a smile as she waved at them and they waved back, calling out Happy Halloween, which Kagome, Sango and the children returned. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah. Let's go, more candy, more candy!" The children called out and off they went to get more candy. And so they went from house to house, all down the block and then back up again, the adults carrying the bags towards the end as it got too heavy for them to carry comfortably.

"Where are we going now, Kagome, where are we going now?" Shippou asked as he practically jumped up and down at her side, as he begged her with his eyes to let them go to more houses. 

"Shippou, we've been to all the houses on my block, your bag is practically full." Kagome said lifting the bag up so that Shippou could see it. If it weren't for the fact that she was a half demon it would probably be really heavy now. 

"Kagome, is that you!"

Wincing visibly Kagome went a bit paler as she recognized the voice who'd called out her name. Turning slowly she watched a familiar figure practically run to her, dragging behind a kid dressed as the Grim Reaper. "Hojo, what a nice surprise."

"Kagome, your home!" Hojo said, just before he let go of the girl and caught her in a crushing hug, swinging her around so happy was he to see her. Holding on so that he wouldn't drop her she smiled weakly when he set her down with a huge smile on his face.

"It's nice to see you too, Hojo." Kagome said stepping back to put some space between them. "It's been a long time."

"Practically forever, Kagome. How are you feeling, are you doing better?" Hojo said with a hopeful smile and Kagome felt the familiar feeling of guilt at his hope. Her grandfather's excuses about her being ill made her feel bad because so many people worried about her and asked about her when she was perfectly fine. Poor Hojo especially had been put through the ringer because of the sick excuse.

"I'm really great, Hojo, thanks for asking. And who is this?" Kagome said with a smile at the young boy who was looking up at Hojo with exasperation, obviously use to this if his face was anything to go on. 

"Oh this is Yamato, he's my cousin." Hojo said placing a hand on the kid's head affectionately. "It's so great to see you, Kagome, have you decided to move back here then, to stay?"

"No, I'm just here for a quick visit Hojo, We'll be gone tomorrow." Kagome said with a sweet smile that she hoped looked regretful. "I have to get back to work and to my fiancé, plus the children miss the guys and Sango isn't one for travelling."

"You're engaged." Hojo said faintly, going rather pale with a really sad and pathetic look coming over his face at the fact that she was going to marry someone else. His sweet Kagome was going to be someone else's wife, how could that be?

"Yeah, only recently. I'm not wearing my ring because the band needed to be adjusted." Kagome said, not knowing what to say to make it any easier for the poor guy. He'd tried so hard to get her to go out with him in high school and it wasn't like he was a bad guy, he just wasn't Inu-yasha.

"Yeah, and they love each other a lot and are going to live happily ever after." Shippou stated as he wormed his way between the two. He'd promised Inu-yasha he'd take care of Kagome and he might have been young but he wasn't stupid; this guy was trying to invade Inu-yasha's territory. Fixing the other guy with a hard look Shippou gave Hojo his best Sesshomaru look, the really scary one, not that they weren't all scary usually.

"Shippou." Kagome said giving him a reproving look though she wasn't really that angry. Actually it was kind of cute the way he was behaving but it really wasn't polite behaviour.

"We should be going Hojo, we still have several houses to go to." Yamato said, tugging on Hojo's sleeve. He really didn't like the look on his cousin's face and he figured that Hojo had made himself look enough of a fool for the day. "It was nice meeting you."

"Ah yeah, see you later, Kagome. It was nice meeting you all." Hojo said in a distant voice as he allowed his young cousin to drag hi m away, his eyes staying on Kagome until Yamato deliberately went around a corner, taking Hojo with him.

"He has it bad." Sango said before laying a comforting hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Why don't we take them to those few houses over there and then call it a night, what do you say?"

"Yeah, sounds like a good plan." Kagome said and taking Shippou's hand once again made their way across the street.

"Well that's a pretty good load you guys have there." Sango said with a smile as they moved down the deserted street. It was rather creepy for some reason and Sango couldn't seem to ignore a feeling that something was wrong. Trying to toss the idea aside she focused on the children who were eating some pocky that Kagome had given them after she'd look it over.

"Yeah, now Master can have lot's of chocolate." Rin said after she'd swallowed hers. "He really liked the bars that you gave him, Kagome."

"Well I'm glad he liked it-what?" Kagome said then halted as a foreign scent hit her nostrils. She didn't recognize it and it wasn't similar to anything she'd smelled and yet it sent shivers of fear down her spine. Eyes locking onto Sango the two indicated through glances that they both sensed something wrong and threatening. Tightening her grasp on Shippou's hand she ignored the children's chatter and concentrated on figuring out where the danger was. She'd brought her bow and a few arrows along merely for decoration, she'd never expected to need them, otherwise she'd have brought more. Sango had a sword of course but it was old and well, it was a sword, not the demon slayer's chosen weapon. 

"Kagome?" Sango said quietly, so quiet that had Kagome not had the ears of a dog she never would have recognized or understood what Sango was so silently asking.

"Look Kagome, I wonder what he's suppose to be." Rin said pointing in front of them where a lone figure had appeared as though from thin air. Instincts kicking in to full gear both women grabbed the children's hands in hard hold's and spun around, thinking to walk away from whatever it was. Behind them was another lone figure, dressed all in black like the first. Looking all around Kagome didn't see anyone else but who was to say for sure.

"Sango, take the children and run, I'll cover your back for as long as I can." Kagome said as she showed her now sharp canine teeth to the one coming from the front. "I have a feeling this is going to get ugly real quick."

"I'm not leaving you here and besides, we'd never make it." Sango said drawing the sword. It had been something Kagome's father had picked up at a garage sale and Kagome fiercely hoped that the thing wouldn't crumble on impact. Pushing Shippou behind her Sango and Kagome moved back to back with the two children between them.

"I'll protect you." Shippou said moving to stand by Sango's side but was stopped by her hand in front of him.

"We'll need you to stay between us and protect Rin if something should happen to us." Sango said, never taking her eyes off the figure that was drawing ever closer, its pace unhurried and causal, as if only out for a stroll. "Can you do that for us, Shippou?"

"I'll guard her with my life." Shippou declared as he pulled out the small dagger from his belt. He moved back between them and took Rin's hand in his free one, squeezing it to let her know he wouldn't desert her. Squeezing back Rin tried to smile but failed miserably.

Watching the man pick up his pace Kagome drew an arrow and pointed it at him with the point aimed for the man's throat. "What do you want?"

"We're hungry demon, its time to feed." Kagome's sensitive ears heard and taking a deep breath Kagome prepared to fire. Meanwhile Sango stood with her feet braced, prepared to swing and fight whatever it was that had chosen to make them their prey. Mere meters from Sango the man attacked, running at her full speed, preparing to swing Sango turned her head slightly when she heard the sound of metal flying through the air just before the knife blade went into the man's throat, embedded to the hilt. Choking on it the man pulled it out and stared at it, seconds before Sango's blade flew through the air, slicing him in half diagonally. At the same time Kagome unleashed an arrow at the man, which found its mark in the creatures heart and was about to follow through with another when the man disappeared as though he'd been nothing more then dust, the other man doing the same. Breathing hard the two women looked around but saw no one else approaching, but where had the dagger come from?

"Now how on earth did a half demon and a fox demon get to this period in earth's history and survive?" A voice asked and Kagome moved to look in Sango's direction where another figure had appeared as though the figure was a part of the shadows that lay around it. This figure was dressed all in black as well, the face and body covered by a black cloak that came all the way to the heeled feet. A woman this time, her voice suggested it, the cloak muffled her voice too much though to tell for sure. "Please don't shoot me with one of those arrows either, if I'd intended to kill you you'd be dead already. Silly boys, they could smell your demon blood and like any addict went after you without thinking it through first. Such is life though." The figure added, motioning to where the other figured had fallen before disappearing. 

"Are you the one who threw the knife?" Sango asked, standing side by side with Kagome, the children behind them. The figure was about their height but she seemed bigger, stronger then them, not physically, but in another, deeper way.

"Yes, normally I would have removed the children and let them have a try at you but I wanted you all alive to explain. Especially about that little girl." The figure said and Kagome was nearly sure that the person was female, call it feminine instinct and the fact that she had yet to meet a man who smelled like lilacs.

"What about her?" Kagome said as she stared at the figure as though it would help any. Why focus on Rin, weren't she and Shippou the oddities here?

"I smell Sesshomaru on her, yet she's alive and completely human, why is that?" The figure asked and all four of them drew in their breath at the figure's mentioning of Sesshomaru. How did this figure know about Sesshomaru and what did it mean that it could smell him on her, was this figure a demon as well? She didn't act like a demon or smell like one in Kagome and Shippou's opinion.

"You know my Master?" Rin asked from behind Sango, peering from behind with Shippou's hand still firmly in hers. Even though she wouldn't stand a chance if it came to Shippou protecting her she was glad for his nearness and support. 

"Your Master, ah so the rumours are true then, the Great Lord of the West has made a human his pet. How ironic that he would do so but won't even speak a civil word to his own brother, how interesting and typical of him." The figure said with a laugh, confirming in Kagome's mind that this was a female, a dangerous one at that. But of course that wasn't the million-dollar question.

"What do you want with us, if you just wanted to know about Rin then you've got your answer." Kagome said with a hard look at the woman, not willing to wait for the woman to tell them when it suited her. "If you still want to know how I got here I'm afraid that's a long and complicated story that I really don't feel like telling."

"Well aren't you impatient, and what about the fox that hides behind you, how did he get here?"

"I'm not hiding behind her and you better leave us alone or face Inu-yasha's wrath. He's really good at killing people who threaten us." Shippou said from behind them, fighting back the instinct to move from behind Kagome and Sango. He'd promised Sango he'd take care of Rin but if she insulted him again he was going out there.

"Inu-yasha, is that who you belong to?" The woman said, moving slightly closer, more then just minor curiosity in her voice now. "It would explain why your mate's scent is similar to Sesshomaru's and why you have his pet with you, how interesting. Will you be seeing Inu-yasha soon by any chance?"

"Yes, why?" Kagome said having a bad feeling about all this.

"Then you can return this to him, I'm sure he misses it." The woman said as she reached up and lifted a leather necklace with a pouch attached to it. Throwing it at Kagome she caught it reflexively and held it carefully in her hand. "And tell him that I said hi, he'll know who I am as soon as he sees what's inside the pouch."

"Do you have anything you want me to tell my Master?" Rin called out from behind Sango, her curiosity piqued. How did this woman know her master and Inu-yasha, what was in the pouch?

"No, not really." The woman said with a smile in her voice, almost a nice voice now. "Just give him a good scratch behind the ears for me, I'm sure he misses it." Turning around the woman walked away from them, leaving them staring after her as she literally disappeared in front of them, becoming foggy and then clear, nothing left behind to indicate she'd ever been there.

"Kagome?" Sango said hesitantly as she looked over at Kagome with a hint of fear in her voice. "I think we just went up against three Si's."

"Three what?" Kagome asked with a raised eyebrow, she'd never heard of those before.

"A Si is a creature that can change form and hunts other creatures, sucking the blood from their victim's necks. They're second only to full grown demons." Sango said seriously. "I've only heard about them but apparently they turn into a powder almost when they die which evaporates and she did say that it was your demon blood that attracted them to us."

"Here we call them vampires but we don't really believe in them, we always viewed them more as myths." Kagome said slowly, it all sinking in. "Oh my God."

Well do you like it, hate it, despise me now and will never read my work again? If so tell me and I'll kill this new storyline but I figure if you watch the show you expect violence and death to some degree. Anyway let me know your opinion, thanx. 


	9. Nothing But A Stone

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the original characters featured in the fic.

Nothing But A Stone

Kagome rubbed the back of her neck as she looked in the doorway at the sleeping children. They hadn't wanted to sleep by themselves they had curled up in Kagome's bed together, arms wrapped around each other as they slept with Kirara on the pillow by Shippou's head. If Kagome were a betting woman she'd bet that Shippou's dagger was under the pillow.

"An interesting night." Sango said as she leaned up against the other side of the doorway, her gaze softening as she looked at the sleeping forms. "I'm glad Kirara hid in Shippou's bag, they would never have gotten to sleep without us otherwise."

"No kidding." Kagome said with a sigh. "All that sugar in their system, I'm surprised they still aren't running around like the Energizer Bunny. A cartoon from a commercial." Kagome explained at Sango's questioning look. "A rabbit that never stops moving." 

"Ah, that would be an accurate comparison then. So what do you think is in that pouch, Kagome?" Sango asked as she nodded towards the pouch Kagome had hung from her neck, drawing comfort from it for some reason. Perhaps it was because whatever was inside belonged to Inu yasha.

"I don't know what's in it, I suppose we will have to wait until tomorrow to find out." Kagome said with a shrug as her fingers came up to toy with the leather strap of the pouch. "What I want to know is who the woman is and how she knows Inu yasha and Sesshoumaru-sama. Did you notice that she didn't comment on how much I look like Kikyou, that must mean she didn't know them when Kikyou was alive or afterwards."

"Yes but she'd heard that Sesshoumaru-sama had Rin so she must remain contact with the Feudal Era somehow. Do you think she's from this time or our time?" Sango asked as she pictured the woman in the dark cloak all over again. There had been nothing to suggest what time she was from and was she a Si or some sort of sorceress?

"I don't know, I suppose we'll have to wait to ask Inu yasha and Sesshoumaru. What I want to know is which side is she on because I think she's leaning towards Sesshouhmaru's and that's not necessarily a good thing." Kagome said with a slight frown. "I don't think she means any harm to us, she had the opportunity but anyone who called Sesshoumaru friend in the past isn't the most trustworthy of people."

"Well like you said, we'll just have to wait and see."

^***************************************************************************^

Inu yasha knew it was stupid but he was earlier then need be and it was taking everything he had not to pace. He had the overwhelming feeling that something had gone wrong but for the life of him he couldn't figure out how he knew or what was wrong. They were fine, what could go wrong over there? It wasn't near as dangerous as the Feudal Era and Kagome had assured him that they'd be careful and wouldn't go anywhere remotely dangerous.

"You're giving me a headache just watching you." Miroku said from the ground where he was resting, his ribs wrapped up and a body that was more bruised then fine. He had a lot to say to that dog demon bastard and as soon as he was capable of moving without something complaining he was going to show Sesshoumaru a thing or too. Or so he told himself.

"Shut up before I start breaking bones." Inu yasha said as he glared at the monk, Miroku was not helping lighten his mood at all. The monk was annoying any given day, when he was hurt he was twice as bad. "Just lay there and be quiet, Sesshoumaru is less likely to kick your ass that way."

"Like he could." Miroku said hotly thought it was quite true. If his darling Sango couldn't kill the dog demon he really didn't have a chance in hell. "I'm sure they're fine, our girls know how to take care of themselves."

"You had a bad feeling as well, Inu yasha?" Sesshoumaru asked as he walked into the clearing, Jakken trailing behind, happy as Inu yasha and the monk had ever seen him. A day without Rin had obviously improved his outlook considerably.

"Yes, you had one as well." Inu yasha said, his eyes turning back to the well. He could pass off his worries in that Kagome meant everything to him and he'd be lost without her, Sesshoumaru was not so and if he sensed trouble as well then Inu yasha was more then able to believe that all was not right. "What do you think has happened?"

"I don't know, only a feeling." Sesshoumaru said with a slight shake of his silver white head. "I believe that they are safe, but all was not right where they are." He added and Sesshoumaru tried to shake off the feeling of forbid that rose in him at his brother's obvious turmoil. He really cared for his bitch, Sesshoumaru thought with interest; his brother would not be so close to jumping out of his skin otherwise. How ironic that the woman who'd brought the pup to his knees had the face of the priestess.

"See, he says they're fine." Miroku said, turning Sesshoumaru's attention to the monk lying on the ground. A pity he wasn't dead Sesshoumaru thought with an inner smile, that would have really made his day once Rin was back and in his care. Unfortunately it appeared that the lecherous bastard would live.

"They're coming." Inu yasha said with a note of relief, not knowing how he knew they were coming, simply knowing. As if on cue seconds later the well shone and then four heads were popping out to look around them.

"Hey you guys." Kagome called out as she climbed out of the well with Shippou and his candy in her arms. Before she could say more Inu yasha was hugging them tightly, squeezing Shippou between them. Rather then complain the fox demon was glad for it, annoying as the dog demon was Shippou knew that he was safe now that Inu yasha was with them.

"You're all right." Inu yasha said as he breathed in her scent, holding her tightly as he assured himself that she was all right and in one piece.

"Well someone was missed." Sango said in amusement as she hopped out of the well with Rin and her candy in her arms with Kirara on her shoulder watching Inu yasha and Kagome with amusement. "Here she is, Sesshouamru-sama, alive and well as promised."

"Master Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin called out and as soon as Sango had set her down the girl was racing over to stand in front of her master, practically vibrating with energy and happiness. "Kagome's world is beautiful and we got lots of candy and I brought you some and I missed you and Jakken and I was good and I met Kagome's family and I behaved and minded my manners. I had lots of fun and the only problem was the bad men but we and the nice lady got rid of them and then everything was okay again.

"Bad men?" Sesshoumaru asked, concentrating on that sentence or at least it would have been a sentence if Rin had stopped to take in any air during her recount of yesterday. She appeared unharmed and deciding that no one here would dare comment he set a clawed hand on her forehead, not really willing to admit how much he'd missed her and her endless chatter. "You were attacked?"

"Sort of though it was more of a confrontation that ended very, very quickly." Kagome said once Inu yasha had let her go after Shippou had complained about his lack of oxygen. "We were on our way home when we were set upon by these two men who seemed to be trying to trap us but we were armed and with the help of-someone were able to deal with them effectively." Kagome added reassuringly as the hands Inu yasha had wrapped around her waist tightened.

"I think that the men at least were probably Sis." Sango said with a tight smile, figuring that one of the kids would let it slip anyway. "Luckily we had Kagome's bow and arrows and the lady and I were armed with blades, plus there were only two."

"Only two? Do you realize what those beast are capable of? What they do to their prey." Sesshoumaru said tightly, his hand moving from Rin's head to her should which he used to move her closer to him. "I have seen demons taken down by the beasts, one would have been more then enough for you to handle. Who helped you that they could take down such creatures?"

"Ah, we have no idea, but apparently Inu yasha does." Kagome said weakly as she looked up at her mate who looked down at her in surprise.

"How would I know who she was?" Inu yasha asked as he drew Kagome in front of him so that he could look her in the eye. "I wasn't there."

"Yeah but she said that you'd given this to her once and that she wanted to return it to you. She said that you'd know who she was from what was inside it." Kagome said as she untied that pouch from around her neck and held it out to him. "She saved our lives, even if she did seem to do it out of curiosity as oppose to actually wanting to save us."

Taking the pouch from her Inu yasha held it up to his nose and inhaled, smelling his mate but going beyond that. There was the scent of jasmine and something more, a scent that was familiar and yet he couldn't place. He knew this scent, more he had a feeling that the former bearer of this pouch was the reason why he'd always liked the scent of jasmine. It brought back memories of his mother but she hadn't worn the scent, so why would he associate it with her? Curious now Inu yasha undid the tie encircling the pouch and turning the pouch upside down watched as a smooth object fell out and onto his hand.

"What is it?" Kagome asked as she looked closer then gave him a look of confusion as she identified the object in his hand. "A piece of amber?"

"A rock? How is he suppose to know who she was from a rock?" Shippou asked from their feet, thoroughly confused now. "What's it mean Inu yasha?"

"It can't be." Inu yasha whispered to himself as he held up the rock to his face, his eyes staring at the stone in disbelief. The rock was about the size of an everyday rock, glowing a golden brown in the sun. It was inside the rock though that held its individuality it that inside was a perfect leaf, preserved inside the rock, unchanged by time and wear. He'd only ever seen one rock like this before, when he was a child he'd had such a rock but he didn't have it now because he'd given it away when he'd still been a child, could this-could this be his stone?

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru demanded walked over with Rin clutching his pants, as she didn't want to be out of his sight and reach. She sensed that he'd been really worried about her and so she was staying beside him until the feeling went away.

"It's my rock, the one I gave to-the one I gave to Brianna." Inu yasha said as he looked at his brother with a strange look in his eyes. "I gave it to her when she went after you. After you left the demons who killed our family, I gave it to her to bring her luck."

"Brianna, it can't-it couldn't have been her." Sesshoumaru said as he stared at his brother, not really seeing him. Instead he was seeing a face, the human face of a girl with red gold hair and green eyes filled with mischief and life. But it couldn't have been her who'd come to Rin's rescue, she was gone.

"But then who else would have sent me this, identical to it?" Inu yasha said as he held out the rock in his palm, the light bouncing off its polished surface. "Why couldn't it be her?" 

"Who's Brianna?" Kagome asked as she looked at the two brothers, sensing the undercurrents of the thoughts passing between the two. "She was a friend of you two?"

"His more then mine, we only met occasionally." Inu yasha said, eyes glued to his brothers. "Brianna was a spirit, she was a playmate of Sesshoumaru's even though our father tried to constantly get rid of her because she wasn't a demon or even alive. I haven't seen her since the day my mother died."

"A spirit? She did disappear before us, its possible." Sango said with a considering look as she thought it through. "Plus that would explain how she knew Shippou and Kagome were real demons, she knows them well enough to recognize them. Was she able to use weapons?"

"Yes, she preferred knives." Sesshoumaru said more to himself then to her. Could it possibly be that Brianna was in Kagome's world, but how and why?

"She told me to scratch you behind the ears, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin said suddenly, remember that piece of information. "Does that help?"

"Scratch behind my ears?" Sesshoumaru said with a surprised look, memories coming back to him with rapid speed, sharp as any well-honed blade. Brianna smiling at his while she scratched him behind the ears, chattering away about this and that, plying him with questions about this and that. Brianna had liked to scratch him behind the ears; he'd liked it when she'd scratched him behind the ears. But after the battle she hadn't come anymore, he hadn't seen her since she'd saved his life and taken another's doing it. She'd disappeared after that, had occasionally wondered where she'd gone. More then wondered in the begging.

"It was Brianna, wasn't it?" Inu yasha said carefully, more sure then ever that it had been Brianna who'd appeared to save the four from danger. 

"There us a possibility." Sesshoumaru said shortly, not really looking at his brother. "It's time to go Rin."

"Yes, Master." Rin said with a smile. "Goodbye Inu yasha, Kagome, Shippou, Kirara, Sango."

"Good bye Rin, don't eat all that candy right away okay?" Kagome said with a smile, sensing that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to give Inu yasha more then that. "Good bye Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Good bye." Sesshoumaru said shortly, giving them his back as he headed back the way he came while Rika waved good bye and the other members of Inu yasha's group waved back, calling out their good byes. The group watched the trio walk away, Jakken shooting them a dark look as he brought up the rear, his ugly face showing his displeasure. That spirit woman was dead and should have remained so, no brought up at all.

"Inu yasha, she was a spirit?" Kagome asked as she turned back to Inu yasha in curiosity, watching him place the stone back into the pouch for safe keeping, treating the stone as tough it were a pane of glass, easily broken. 

"A human one as well." Inu yasha said as he tied the pouch around his own neck. "My father tried to destroy her countless times but every time she returned eventually. She came to visit my mother and I a couple of times out of curiosity, she always smelled of jasmine and my brother was suppose to have been very protective of her."

"She was human?" Sango said in surprise, amazed that Sesshoumaru had ever called a human friend. Though the woman had seemed to fit the demon lord with her hard manner and her coldness.

"Yes, I don't remember her well though, he obviously does." Inu yasha said as he stared at the forest his brother had disappeared into. "If it was Brianna who saved you four then I owe her even more then I did before and a debt I will never be able to repay." 


	10. When the Past comes Back

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and original characters

When the Past comes Back 

She stood on the cliffs and looked out at the turquoise water and wondered at the way the fates worked. She'd felt the pull to go to Japan and hadn't understood why until she'd walked along that street and had seen the demon's being circled by the vampires. Sis as they were called in Sesshoumaru's world. A world the demon's had been from and would hopefully stay in instead of returning to this reality. Who would have thought that Sesshoumaru would take a human for a pet, certainly not her. In fact she would be willing to bet she wasn't a pet at all, that Sesshoumaru simply told himself that to justify things. What was he like now she wondered as she pushed some strands of her hair behind her ear. In the beginning they'd been great playmates until Sesshoumaru's mother had begun to teach Sesshoumaru hatred of all things human. Of course at the time she hadn't known about her son's friend because Sesshoumaru had been the only one able to see her. So she'd listened to the hatred and pain in Sesshoumaru's mother's voice as she taught her son to feel the same and then once the woman left had tried to undo all the damage she'd wrought. Despite that Sesshoumaru had grown to hate the human race, his discovery of his father's betrayal with a human making the feeling permanent. He had tolerated her because she wasn't a human, only a spirit and therefore no longer human. She'd hated Sesshoumaru's family, especially the father for betraying her Sesshoumaru that she'd learned to materialize before them and had tried to beat the great demon lord up. How foolish a child she'd been Brianna thought with a smirk as she recalled how Sesshoumaru's father had stared at her in surprise as she'd cursed him and told him what she thought of him, how he and his wife were destroying Sesshoumaru with their actions. Things hadn't changed and the great demon lord had tried to get rid of her, blaming her for what his son was becoming instead of accepting blame.

But that was typical of most people, never accepting blame for the crimes they commit Brianna thought cynically as her hands tightened into fists. Eventually though the demon lord had paid for his actions, losing both his women and then his life. A fitting end for the bastard in her opinion. In his selfishness both his sons were left without their mothers, the demons who'd committed the executions making the fatal mistake of overlooking them. They'd destroyed Sesshoumaru's family home first, slaughtering his mother and other relatives as he fought bravely and was seriously wounded in the process but he kept fighting until he dropped unconscious. Not checking his pulse was the murdering bastards' mistake. Once she'd managed to wake up they'd headed to where his father's mistress was, assuming that they would find him there with his bastard son. Instead they'd arrived to find his father and mistress dead, Inu yasha surviving only because the demons had sensed Sesshoumaru coming. Most people would have cracked right there and then but not her Sesshoumaru, not him. After all, his name did mean the destruction of the circle of life, what else would you expected from someone who'd been given such a name. When they'd found Inu yasha Sesshoumaru had simply stared at Inu yasha while the boy gave the story then picking up his father's blade had headed off to confront the demons who'd murdered his father and kin. She had followed him there for the last time, losing her ability to visit him when she killed one of the demons to save Sesshoumaru's life. By taking that life she'd lost one of the brightest parts of her own but she had never regretted it. Sesshoumaru had been her best friend and therefore how could she wish things had been different.

Kagome hopped out of the well and walking forward opened the door and walked out, looking around her former home with a fond smile. It had been two weeks since Halloween and it had taken a lot of persuading to get Inu yasha to let her come here without him. She'd promised that she'd just stay for the afternoon and wouldn't leave the grounds of the shrine, which had helped but hadn't guaranteed her being allowed to come. Not that she needed his permission; just that things were easier when she had it.

"Hey Kagome, how's it going?" Kagome turned to see her brother walking towards her in his school uniform looking rather handsome in it but she'd bite her tongue before she'd say so. 

"Shouldn't you be at school?" Kagome inquired with a smirk as she smiled at him, pulling him into a hug when he got close enough. 

"Just came home for some lunch, I'm off to prison once more." Sota said with a wink as after she'd let him go. "So are you going to be here when I get back from school or are you heading back after you talk to mom about something?"

"I'll probably be around. Now you better hurry up and get back to school or you'll be late and I'll have to listen to mom give you her lecture on punctuality." Kagome said with a wink of her own. "Besides, I heard from mom that you've got a girlfriend that will be wait for you to get back."

"Ah gee." Sota said with pink cheeks and a dirty look towards the house where his mother was, unaware of the fact that her son was glaring at her. "Thanks a lot, Mom. Well see ya later." Sota said with a sigh then took off running as he really was going to be late if he didn't hurry. Chuckling as she watched her brother fade out of sight Kagome headed for the house and found her mother in the kitchen, fiddling with a flower arrangement of carnations.

"Hi, Mom." Kagome said brightly as she entered the room and smiling at the sight of her eldest child Kagome's mother happily hugged her daughter to her then ushered over to take a seat. The kitchen smelled wonderful as always and Kagome smiled wider as she breathed in the scents of her home.

"What a lovely surprise, dear. How are the children and the rest of your friends? Speaking of which why haven't you brought my son in law with you, I'd like to congratulate him on his fine choice of wife." Kagome's mother said with a grin as her daughter's face went an interesting shade of red. 

"Mother." Kagome said in exasperation, her cheeks flaming red as she gave her mother a look that said she wasn't amused at all. She was still getting use to all this and her mother's words weren't doing anything to ease the transition.

"What? Was it something I said?" Kagome's mother asked with a wink. "Which reminds me, I have something that a lovely girl dropped off for you. Apparently you dropped it on Halloween night and she picked it up and tried to find you to return it. Luckily she went to Mrs. Kage asking if she knew who you were and Mrs. Kage pointed her in this direction. A very nice American with the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. Lovely shade of green."

"What did I drop?" Kagome said in surprise, not remembering losing anything that night. What on earth could it have been that the girl would go to all that trouble to try and find her? Kagome wondered as she waited for her mother to return with the item. "I don't remember losing anything important, what could it be?"

"An arrow from your holder apparently." Kagome's mother said as she walked back into the room, holding the arrow in her hand. Looking at it in amazement Kagome realized that that had to be the arrow she'd shot at the Si who'd come at them that night. That had been the only arrow missing and yet how had the girl known it was hers unless she'd been there to see her fire it. But the only other girl there had been the woman who'd help them and then disappeared, it couldn't have been her who'd returned the arrow. Or could it?

"What did you say this girl looked like again?" Kagome asked as she took the arrow from her mother. It was hers all right and free of the blood that should have stained it.

"Well she was really tall actually, probably around 5 ft 9 if I'm not mistaken." Kagome's mother said as she sat back down. "She had really long blonde hair with red in it and green eyes like I said before. Rather elfish features with several earrings on her ears and was slightly more built then you, more muscular, like she works out a lot."

"Did she say what her name was?" Kagome asked carefully as she looked at her mother intently.

"Well I believe she said her name was Brianna, yes I'm sure that was it because I commented that it was such a pretty name and she said that her mother had chosen it because it means strong and fearless. I thought that that was a very nice choice in name for her. She seemed like a very confident and strong person." 

"Did she say anything else?" Kagome asked weakly as she swallowed her surprise. Could this all be coincidence or could Inu yasha be right in thinking that it was Sesshoumaru's old friend who'd saved them that night? Suddenly remembering the act that Brianna wasn't even supposed to be alive Kagome looked at her mother, her mother would have mentioned it if the girl didn't appear to be alive anymore. "Did she seem normal to you?" Kagome asked carefully seeing no other way to ask.

"Well yes she did, knew quite a bit about demons too." Kagome's mother said with a smile, unaware of her daughter's distress. "Apparently she's an artist and specializes in the depiction of fairytale like settings. I went to the art gallery near the market to see if they had any of her work but they told me its very difficult to get any of her work and that when they do they're usually gone really quickly. They said they'd phone me the next time they got any of her prints so that I could see them before they get sold."

"Really, how interesting." Kagome said absently, her mind on other things. Inu yasha had said that Brianna had never appeared fully solid as far as he knew and her mother would have said something if she'd been able to see through this Brianna which meant one of two things. Either it was a different Brianna and this was all some strange coincidence or in this world she was a solid, possibly living human being.

Sesshoumaru was not in the best of moods as he stared at the ruins of the keep. The keep had once been the home of his father's enemies; Sesshoumaru had destroyed this keep after murdering all the occupants of the keep. They'd recognized his father's weakness in his human bitch and had exploited it, used it to aid them in destroying his family. Now he was the last, Inu yasha didn't count. He'd decided to come alone and couldn't stay long; he didn't trust Jakken to be able to protect Rin on his own. He would have brought them both with him but he'd needed to come here alone to think things through. The idea that Brianna had saved Rin seemed impossible but the more he thought about it the more possible it became. But for it to be true Brianna would have to have been in Kagome's world, how on earth could she have managed such a thing? But it was difficult to stop Brianna from doing anything. Perhaps that's where she'd went when she'd saved his life, forced to reside in Kagome's world for helping him. The thought didn't sit well with him but he pushed that aside as not important, what was important was the fact that he couldn't get her out of his mind. He'd usually only seen Brianna once or twice a year, her never ageing at all during that time. She'd looked slightly older then Kagome when the girl had first arrived in the Feudal Era and had still looked that old when she'd disappeared for the last time. He'd never known when she'd show up next but had always looked forward to her visits, even when his parents expressed their disapproval. A part of him had seen their point but a larger part had told him that they were wrong. 

She'd been a loyal friend to him Sesshoumaru thought as he moved forward, picking his way through the rubble as he went. When she'd been with him he'd felt lighter as he could tell her everything and know that she wouldn't laugh or tell anyone. It was Brianna that had comforted him when he'd found out the horrible truth of where his father went when he said he was surveying his lands and the existence of Inu yasha. She'd even dared to yell at his father in his defence, even thought he hadn't thanked her for it. Even now he didn't quite understand the relationship they'd had but he still valued it none the less.

Inu yasha was waiting for Kagome nervously beside the well as he waited for her to arrive back. Part of it was nerves that something would happen to her while she was away from him but a larger part had to do with the surprise he had for her. It had taken him a while to work up the nerve to get it but now that it was safely in his pocket he only had to worry that she wouldn't like it or that it wouldn't fit. Running a clawed hand through his hair nervously Inu yasha wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that his hair was sticking up in several places because his claws had mussed it so badly. Finally Kagome's head popped out of the well and wrapping his arms around her waist Inu yasha drew her from it with a slightly nervous smile on his face. "How did your trip go?" Inu yasha asked as he set her down gently on the ground.

"Let's just say it was very interesting." Kagome said with a wink. "Wait till you hear what I found out."

"There's just one thing I want to do before you tell me." Inu yasha said quickly, knowing that he might actually lose his nerve before he managed to muddle his way through this. Dropping one of his hands into his left pocket he wrapped his fingers around the object that lay there.

"Oh, what's that?" Kagome asked as she lifted an eyebrow at Inu yasha. He reminded her a lot of a kid about to open a birthday present, not sure if it would be what he wanted or not.

"Well Sango mentioned something to me and I was thinking about it a lot. I could have just gone out and bought one but I figured it should have more meaning then that. Then I remembered something but it took me two weeks to work up the nerve to go get it. I should have given it to you earlier, but better late then never right? This is for you." Inu yasha blurted out, pulling the ring from his pocket and holding it out to her. "It was my mother's."

"Oh Inu yasha." Kagome said with tears swimming in her eyes as she took the ring from it, holding it so carefully like it might shatter if she wasn't careful enough. It was a slim gold band with symbols engraved into it as well as shards of different coloured gem stones weaved into the band, or at least that's how it had cleverly been made to look. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"It was my mother's favourite." Inu yasha said with a half smile. "Does it fit?"

"I'm sure it will." Kagome said with a bright smile, ignoring the tears streaming down her face as Inu yasha took the ring from her and slid it onto her ring finger, a perfect fit. "I love it Inu yasha, I love you."

"I love you as well, Kagome. Despite all the sits." Inu yasha said with a smirk. "So what was it you were going to tell me?"

"Well I have good news and bad news, Inu yasha." Kagome said with a smirk of her own as she tilted her hand so that the dimming lights reflected off the shards. "The good news is that no one reported any demons or Sis on a rampage at home. The bad news is we have to go find Sesshoumaru and tell him that it was Brianna that saved us and that she apparently lives in my old world." 


	11. A Cursed Slayer

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the original characters. This chap is dedicated to Dark Elf2 as well as Vanessa for your awesome reviews. Sry for the length of time since I've updated but with so few reviews I turned my attention to other fic and other fic ideas since I have so bloody many tormenting me.

A Cursed Slayer

Kagome was more than a bit nervous about this as she sat on the steps leading away from her former home to the street below. It was the one night when she became fully human again and she'd chosen that night to come back here to see if she could find Brianna. On the one hand her demon powers would have been an asset in case this Brianna person decided to attack her but Kagome couldn't exactly go wandering around the streets looking for the girl with dog ears, now could she? She'd been sitting there for a quite a while and Kagome admitted that she was more than a little afraid to meet this girl. Anyone who Sesshoumaru held in such high esteem couldn't exactly be the most outstanding and moral person. Rin was an exception after all as she was a child and couldn't possibly know any better, seeing Sesshoumaru through the biased eyes of someone with a massive case of hero worship. And the way she'd handled those Sis, well who could blame her for being a bit nervous. But she'd asked her mother to ask around and had possibly found out where the girl was staying, she couldn't let all her mom's hard work go to waste. That decided Kagome got to her feet and walked down the stairs to the street. Taking a deep breath Kagome turned right and began walking up the street, her hands in her pockets as she walk slower than usual. She would much rather have been with Inu yasha in battle, she'd be happy as a clam in comparison to going to talk to this strange woman. Come to think of it, how did one determine the happiness of a clam? Kagome wondered and latching on to the admittedly stupid question began tossing ideas around in her head as she walked to distract herself.

* * *

Arriving at the road that led up to the bed and breakfast that Brianna was possibly staying at Kagome paused once more than continued up the driveway until she came to the large house situated on top of a slight hill. Walking up the stairs and through the door Kagome found herself in a charming lobby, a fairly old woman sitting behind the desk with a cat snoozing away on her lap. Calmed by the image Kagome walked over to her and hoped that Brianna wasn't there however cowardly of her it was. "Excuse me, I don't mean to be a bother but I'm looking for someone by the name of Brianna?"

"Oh, I didn't know she had any friends here, I was worried she was all alone." The woman said with a smile, her right hand absently stroking the cat's back. "She's in her room right now, would you like me to ring her and tell her you're here? You're Himoko's daughter, aren't you? Kagome was it?"

"Yes I am and no, I'd like to surprise her if you don't mind. She's not expecting me." Kagome answered, especially since she wasn't entirely sure the other woman would want to see her again, Kagome added in her head. In fact she had the feeling Brianna wouldn't be happy to see her at all. "Could you tell me which room she's in?"

"Well that would be number ten, dear." The woman said, deciding it was all right since it was Himoko's daughter. She was surprised to see that it was Kagome though since Brianna had struck her as the solitary type while Kagome had always been more of the happy, easy going type. Perhaps they had met in Brianna's travels, the girl had said that she rarely stayed in one place for very long.

"Thank you." Kagome replied, bowing her thanks before heading off in the direction the kind woman had indicated. Finding the room with little trouble Kagome hesitated before knocking lightly on the door. When a voice from within said enter Kagome carefully opened the door and stepped into the doorway though she made no move to go any further. "Brianna?" Kagome said hesitantly as the room was dark without even a single light on, only the pale shadow of the moon came in through the window. She sensed her but couldn't see her. "May I come in?"

* * *

"Well, well, I can't say that I expected you to come visiting me, Demon..but you aren't one now are you? The moon cycle has put you back to normal." Brianna said with a hint of amusement, well aware that the girl was feeling uneasy and on edge. Obviously she had some intelligence in that head of hers. "Rather brave of you to face me in this condition, unwise as well."

"I'm not here to cause any trouble, I just have a few questions I was hoping you'd be willing to answer, please." Kagome said as she forced her voice to be steady and to act as calm as possible. There was nothing to fear but fear its self. And a whole lot of other things, Kagome thought with a grimace. "Could I turn the light on so that I can see you, please?"

"Go ahead." Brianna replied and barely blinked when Kagome's fingers pushed up the light switch, the light on the ceiling going on automatically so that she could see the demon clearly in her human form. Interesting. What she really wanted to know was how a girl who'd apparently been born a human had become a half dog demon. There were of course spells and curses to be considered, she had yet to hear of a way of dog demons changing their human mates to partial demons, especially since Inu yasha wouldn't have that kind of demon knowledge to begin with. The demon world was not kind to their less than pure demon. After all, to mix ones blood with that of a human was a cardinal sin and often led to death.

"Ah hi, can I sit down?" Kagome asked as she indicated the chair near the desk in the room. Brianna was sitting in the middle of the bed which was near the desk, watching her with cool eyes that gave away nothing. The girl looked to be slightly older than her wearing baggy black silk pajama bottoms and a tight dark navy blue T-shirt. Her long golden red hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she was actually quite beautiful until you looked into her eyes, Kagome thought as she sat down. Her eyes were so cold that they were chilling to see. Turning the chair slightly to face Brianna better Kagome nodded her thanks.

* * *

"So what exactly did you want to ask me?" Brianna asked curiously as she remained where she was though her eyes missed nothing.

"Well for starters are you the Brianna Sesshoumaru and Inu yasha used to know? Did you used to live in the Feudal Era?" Kagome asked hesitantly, figuring that that was as good a place to start as any. She had so many questions but she wanted to get a sense of what the girl would be willing to talk about first.

"I am and I'm not." Brianna said with a slight shrug of her shoulders, Kagome noticing that her arms were well muscled for a girl and reminded her of Sango's arms. "My soul you could say, if that's really what you could call it is the Brianna they know. This body is very similar to the one they know but it was born into this world, not theirs."

"They said you were a spirit when they knew you?" Kagome continued, curious about it as she watched the woman. There was something about her that was beginning to intrigue her. "And you disappeared after the battle against the demons that killed Sesshoumaru's family. Why?"

"Perhaps I should just tell you the story, that should answer most of your questions. I'll tell you the story and I want no interruptions and once I tell it you leave, no questions. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Kagome said with a nod of her head, figuring that at least some of her questions would be answered and she had a feeling she wasn't exactly wanted around here. Better to stay on Brianna's good side for the time being.

* * *

"I am not of this world of yours, I was born in the Feudal Era though long before Inu yasha or Sesshoumaru were born. I came into your world as a punishment, Then again the very fact that I am alive is my greatest punishment." Brianna said with a dark look, a grim smirk on her lovely face. "As I said I was born in a time of demons and monsters, my parents were farmers and we were constantly plagued by the beasts. When a school, I guess you could call it that, for the training of demon slayers opened up my brothers were eager to join and I with them. Of course because I was a girl they scoffed and made fun of me but I begged my parents to let me go and thinking I would soon quit they agreed. They didn't think I could do it either. But I was top of my class, you see telling me I can't do something, that I'm not good enough for it has always been like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Even if it's dangerous or seems impossible I'll do it or die trying. Despite all the opposition I got from my family who wanted me to stay in our village and become a good little wife I left to become a slayer of demons. And I was good..the best there was. The called me the Demoness." Brianna said with a far off look in her eyes as she remembered those days. "There were few demons that didn't know my name and those that were bakas were constantly challenging me to prove themselves only to end up as blood stains on the grass. I was about twenty two when I was called to a village that was being plagued by wolf demons. But I wasn't the only one called, to my disgust the head of the village had called together a dozen demon slayers in total, wasting the money he should have been using to feed his people who were starving thanks to the demons. I was the only woman in the group and though they feared my reputation they still chose to ridicule me behind my back, one in particular. His name was Malik and he was full of himself, his looks endearing him to women and he could be as smooth as silk when he tried. The fact that I thought he was lower than a rodent made me one of his main targets to make miserable with his company. They sent out the slayers in groups, six of the slayers first, Malik and I were part of the second group. Only one of the six came back and he died shortly after, they were cocky because of their numbers when they should have known better. Too busy trying to prove themselves and get their money I suppose. Next came our group and I stayed with them at the request of one of the men in our group who I'd known before. He had family and due to a recent injury wasn't at the top of his game and knew it. For his family's sake I decided not to ditch them as I normally would have. It was a fairly even battle since we saw them coming and despite his personality Malik wasn't without skill and once I was recognized by the demons from my armor they were not so eager to stick around. I took my reward and gave it to the people who's allowed me to stay in their home and then headed out once more. A year or so later I got word that demons had attacked my home village, I arrived to find it in ruins. Everyone had been slaughtered, my nieces and nephews, my siblings and parents, all dead."

* * *

Kagome wished she could reach out and comfort the older woman but she doubted that such an action would be permitted, much less appreciated. This woman was not one to accept pity or take comfort from the kind words of another, especially one who now had the blood of demons running through her veins. But if Brianna hated demons so much why had she been nice to Inu yasha and Sesshoumaru? Wouldn't she have hated them too? Turning her attention back to Brianna Kagome was eager to hear the rest so that she might understand the whys that were running through her head.

"Everyone I'd known and grown up with were dead, everyone I called kin dead at the hands of demon scum. So I hunted down the demons who'd done it, slaughtering them all and their families, massacring them without mercy as they'd done to mine. If I was feared before it was nothing to the fear they felt then. And so the demons decided that they had to get rid of me and for the first time in a long time demons put aside feuds and past species hatreds to join forces against me and the demon slayers that had joined me to be taught and join me in my battles. Eventually they succeeded in attacking in such numbers that I was defeated." Brianna said with bitterness sharp in her voice, the defeat still angering her after all this time. It didn't matter the circumstances, defeat was never an option and when it happened it was never forgotten. "I wasn't dead yet though and they wanted me to suffer as much as possible before I cross into the next world. And so they brought me before an elder demon of renowned strength and magical power and asked him to curse me as horribly and terribly as possible. But the elder, old and weary of the fighting knew of my reasons for the recent slaughter and understood my reasoning so instead of killing me he placed a curse that would satisfy the demons as well as give me a chance to redeem myself as he put it." Brianna said with venom in her voice. Obviously she hadn't seen it as a kindness. "He turned me into a spirit you could say, immortal and doomed to roam the lands until I had learned to care for demons as much as humans, to view them as something more then monsters to be slaughtered. Of course there was a catch..if I ever took a demon life in that form my soul was doomed to rot in Hell for all eternity and not just any hell but the demon hell where my former victims would be waiting. In other words a Hell full of constant pain and suffering. But that wasn't enough, he also said that if I did so that the slayers that had fallen with me in battle would also be dragged to Hell with me for the crime of helping me, that I couldn't allow."

* * *

"But-but you did take a life, when you saved Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome said then placed a hand over her mouth as though to take it back. "Gomen."

Brianna gave her a dark look but decided to continue though if she was interrupted again she was going to shut up and she wasn't going to open it later either. "So there I was, stuck because I could sacrifice myself but I would not allow my fallen comrades to be taken from heaven and dragged down to Hell for my actions. So I wandered the lands, a spirit doing what I could to help my people and forced to watch the demons do their evilness without being able to stop them. Oh I planted traps and hurt them but I couldn't take a life, even to spare the lives of others." Brianna continued with ice in her tone, her hands fists at her sides. "And then one day I stumbled upon a young dog demon, wandering around as he searched for an item his father had hid in the wood as a test to train him. I watched him and was amused and so I decided to help him find the object, undermining his father's training. But when I appeared before him and offered my help he refused it, so determined to prove to himself that he could do it. Even when the sun began to set and the darkness crept closer and closer he continued his search. Then his father came, obviously a dog demon of great status and prestige to collect his son but still the boy refused to go, he would find it. His father allowed it, standing guard over his son while he looked for the item and finally finding the blade presented it to his father proudly. The father took it without a word of praise and they headed back. Curious I followed them to the holding they called home and decided to find out more about these demons. The father was the mighty demon Lord of the West and was feared by all that knew him. The boy with him was his eldest son and well on his way to following in his father's footsteps. The most surprising thing I found out thought was his apparent kindness if you can call it towards humans. He allowed them to live on his lands and though he made no effort to protect them he didn't hunt them either or bother them at all for that matter, unusual for dog demons since like most canines they tend to be very territorial about their land. A lot of lives could be spared if humans would take that into consideration but they don't and pay the price with their lives. Anyway, I continued my wandering but every once in a while I would return to those lands and see how the boy was doing. Then I got an idea, a way to end my curse without sacrificing my comrades or my soul. I would befriend this boy and in doing so would lift my curse. If ever there was a demon I could grow to care for it would be a child, not yet a monster but a monster in the making. And so I began to appear before him and play with him a bit, making myself view him as I would a human child until eventually I stopped having to try and he was simply Sesshoumaru to me, nothing more or less. But as he grew that became harder and harder as his parents, his mother in particular tried to mold him into the proper demon that he was to be. And I began to notice his father around him less and less and his mother more and more. She was a pure blooded demon in every sense of the word, humans were to be exterminated and treated with contempt and no mercy. She didn't hold with her mate's ideals, perhaps because she knew why his ideas concerning humans were different." Brianna added as she looked over at Kagome's left hand where her ring was visible.

Seeing where Brianna's eyes were Kagome looked down at the ring and understood the girl's meaning. Sesshoumaru's fathers ideals were different because he was in love with Inu yasha's mother, a human.


	12. Young Sesshoumaru’s Past

Disclaimer: Hey, I obviously own nothing but the plot and the original characters and if you think I own more you're sadly mistaken. Also Please read and review so I know people are still interested in this otherwise I'll wrap it up quickly since no one seems to be reading it anymore. Thanks.

Young Sesshoumaru's Past

"Inu yasha's mother, that's why." Kagome said quietly as she looked at Brianna with a grave look on her pale face. It made sense really, she'd never really thought about Sesshoumaru's former deep hatred for Inu yasha and Inu yasha's mother but then again she hadn't looked at it from Sesshoumaru's point of view. When you really thought about it though, everything made a sad sort of sense. She'd always thought it was being related to a half demon that Sesshoumaru hated so much but maybe it wasn't that, maybe it had been the fact that Inu yasha was a living reminder of the fact that their father had cheated on Sesshoumaru's mother, had loved another. After all how would she feel if her father had cheated on her mother and they'd had a daughter together? She'd likely have hated her father for hurting them all that way and she'd probably hate the woman he was cheating with, likely the daughter too even though it wouldn't have been her fault. It would be like she and her mother and Sota weren't good enough, that her father had gone off looking for better and even though that likely wouldn't have been the case it might have seemed like that. Because he was suppose to be theirs but instead had gone off to be with someone elses. And how much of her life would he have missed while he was off with his other family, how neglected and second place would she have felt in comparison?

Sesshoumaru had so much pride and what kind of a blow must it have been to learn that the man he admired most, his own father wasn't being honorable or truthful? Miyoga had said that the former Lord of the West had loved Inu yasha's mother a great deal but that was no excuse, he'd had a mate and should have been loyal to her and Sesshoumaru instead of taking a human mistress. Of course the affair had given her Inu yasha so Kagome didn't wish it had never happened but she couldn't help but feel sorry for Sesshoumaru which was a rare thing indeed since one of the last feelings Sesshoumaru caused in others was pity. He'd likely been no more then a boy when he'd found out and Sesshoumaru's mother..what had she been like? Brianna made her sound a lot like the old Sesshoumaru and if she had been like that then it was no wonder Sesshoumaru had behaved as he had with that kind of influence. While his father had been with Inu yasha's mom and looking over his lands his mate had been teaching her son to hate the humans who'd likely caused her a lot of pain too. Kagome couldn't even begin to imagine how painful that must be but she'd definitely be bitter and angry that was for sure. Even if it hadn't been a love match she must have felt something for her mate and to have him betray her like that, especially with someone the demoness had likely been taught to view as a lesser being..."Poor Sesshoumaru."

* * *

"He never really stood a chance even though I did what I could to reinforce that humans weren't the evil creatures his mother said they were." Brianna said as she continued her story, not even aware that her hands were starting to turn into fists and that their was the beginnings of strain in her voice. " She was never an easy or warm natured demoness from what I know but once she found out about the affair any warmth she had in her seemed to vanish over night till there was nothing but a vicious and bitter demoness in her place. After that it was all about honor, loyalty to your race and hatred against those who weren't of pure blood. Suddenly everything that wasn't what they were was evil, wicked and out to get you as soon as your back was turned. She tried to kill me countless times but of course it wasn't possible so she'd try to set her mate on me, saying that I was trying to harm Sesshoumaru. That I was an evil creature. He didn't even think to question her on it, probably did it to appease some of his guilt but of course he was no more successful then her. Sesshoumaru tried to protect me, tried to make them see that I wasn't evil but of course his mother thought I was just like her mate's mistress and he..I don't really know, perhaps he was trying to really protect Sesshoumaru from me." Brianna said with a faint smirk, remembering how she'd frustrated the two mighty demons to no end with her refusal to die. It had certainly frustrated her not to be able to kill them, particularly the mother who was hurting her Sesshoumaru. "They tried to keep Sesshoumaru away from me but neither of us were about to let that happen and we became quite skilled at getting around them. It wasn't so hard really since the cheating father was never at the keep for long and the bitch preferred to spend her time stewing in her bitterness and plotting ways to turn Sesshoumaru into a monster. Then of course the demons came and slaughtered everyone in the keep and everyone with a connection to Sesshoumaru's father. The only two they missed of course were Sesshoumaru and Inu yasha, misses that would cost them dearly in the end."

* * *

Her eyes going vacant for a moment Brianna was back to that day when she had went with Sesshoumaru out on an errand. They'd arranged to meet away from the keep and she'd gone with him on that beautiful spring day, enjoying his company as they'd discussed this and that or not at all, comfortable in each other's company. That day they'd been walking through the woods when Sesshoumaru had almost tripped over a large uprooted tree root, she had grabbed his wrist to pull him back before he could go face first into the dirt. Too undignified for the future Lord of the West she'd joked. She'd loosened her hold on his wrist once he was steady and had been about to let him go when he'd taken her hand in his. She'd looked up at him in surprise but he hadn't looked back, tugging her along while making comments about the weak human slowing him down from the chore his mother had given him though she'd seen the hint of color on his pale neck. She'd held his hand as a child sometimes but once he'd become a young man they'd stopped, there was just too much meaning behind it. A tension neither would admit to really, but every once in a while they would forget and link hands or she'd kiss him on the cheek as she once had to show him the affection his parents seemed incapable of giving him. A premonition of just how much he'd come to mean to her perhaps but it had never been given a chance really because that day had changed everything, separating them forever.

"Sesshoumaru had been sent out on an errand to track and kill some weasel demons who were causing problems and so we were away from the keep when it was attacked and Inu yasha's mother hid him from harm. When we got back we found bodies and blood everywhere, a mindless slaughter that rivaled any battle field I had ever seen. Sesshoumaru's mother was dead, torn to pieces but that only strengthened her hold on Sesshoumaru because he hadn't been there to protect her so it was his duty to be the demon she'd wanted him to be. So he went off to hunt the demons who had destroyed his family and home. We went to the home of Inu yasha and his mother first thinking we could perhaps find the demons there as his father was not at the keep when it happened. First we found him dead, then Inu yasha's mother and finally we found Inu yasha, still alive. Sesshoumaru had only seen the boy from a distance before while I knew Inu yasha from having interacted with him in the past. Once I found out about the affair I made it my business to look into the people causing my..Sesshoumaru so much pain. He was so cute with his little ears and eyes so much like Sesshoumaru's."

"I'll bet." Kagome said then placed her hand over her mouth again, realizing that this was the second time she'd spoken when she wasn't supposed to. It was getting really hard because the more Brianna told the more questions she had but couldn't ask. Like had Sesshoumaru's mother known about Inu yasha and why she had never confronted Inu yasha's mother. After all Inu yasha's mother would have never stood a chance but perhaps the demoness had feared her husband's wrath too much to dare. And she wanted to ask about how Brianna felt about Sesshoumaru because the more she listened to Brianna the more she sensed that there was something more then just plain affection. But she couldn't ask either of those or any of the others. "Gomen." Kagome said weakly and hoped she hadn't lost her story teller yet. "I keep forgetting, I have so many questions to ask you and I'm just dying to ask them but I know I can't. I'm sorry for interrupting, please continue."

* * *

"That won't be answered by me." Brianna said with a hint of a smile, as though she enjoyed the idea of making Kagome suffer by refusing to answer any of the girl's questions. "Anyway we sent Inu yasha back into hiding and Sesshoumaru ordered me to stay with Inu yasha, I hadn't told him the exact circumstances of my curse but he did know that something bad would happen if I took a demon life. But-I couldn't allow him to face such danger without me and so after being assured of Inu yasha's safety I went after him, he was too angry and filled with rage to hide his tracks properly. When I arrived he was already in battle, horribly out numbered but his rage had given his the strength not to feel any wound or blow so intent was he on destroying them. Word had spread of the foul deed as well as those loyal to the Sesshoumaru's clan came to his aid so that the murders became the murdered. But one managed to gang up on Sesshoumaru from behind while he was fighting against three others, there was no way he could avoid the blow and I was too far away to protect his back. There was only one thing I could do and so I used the blade I had been simply wounding with and threw it through the black heart of the beast. Sesshoumaru knew that something would happen and tried to get to me but I was fading away into nothing and was gone before he got close enough to touch. I resided in darkness for what seemed like an eternity then before being reborn here, in this time with all my memories still in tact. I don't know why it happened, perhaps the demon who casted the curse took pity on me or thought that this would be a greater punishment then Hell." Brianna said with a wry smirk. "I don't know really, will likely never know. And now you have your answer and its time for you to go."

"I...thank you." Kagome said biting back everything she wanted to say and ask. Obviously now wasn't the time to ask it and she didn't think she'd get any answers even if she bothered to ask them. Bowing her thanks for the talk Kagome left the room and down the hallway towards home and in the morning back to Inu yasha. Brianna meanwhile stayed on her bed and wished that she could return to the Feudal Era with Kagome, back to her old world and to Sesshoumaru where she belonged.

* * *

The next morning

Passing in front of the well since he'd arrived Inu yasha was getting more and more nervous by the moment. Logically he knew that there was nothing to worry about but he just couldn't help it, what if something happened to her over there? What if they realized that her Halloween costume hadn't been a costume at all and had taken her away to some terrible place to do gods only know what to her. Or if that woman claiming to be Brianna really wasn't Brianna and had lured Kagome to her for some dark purpose ? And he was being a baka, Inu yasha said as he sat down on the grass, leaning his back against the well as he stared up at the sky. Ever since she'd become his mate it was as if he couldn't stand not to have her in his sight, he wanted her with him always where he could protect her, his heart. Hearing something he quickly got to his feet and turned just in time to see a small and seemingly delicate hand grasp the edge on the well. Reaching out Inu yasha grabbed Kagome's wrist and helped her out, drawing her close into a welcome home kiss that soothed away all his worries and made him feel in control and in sync again. "Kagome." Inu yasha said simply as he nuzzled her neck for a moment before drawing back to look into her eyes, frowning at the redness he saw there, like she'd been crying. "What's wrong."

"I'm so lucky to have you." Kagome said simple moving closer, snuggling against him with a hold around his waist that suggested she had no intention of letting him go any time soon. Scowling with worry now Inu yasha held her just as tightly and forced himself to let her tell him at her own pace which was more annoying then listening to Shippou talk for several hours straight. Leaning her head on Inu yasha's shoulder Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled her mate's scent, letting it calm her. How would it feel not to be able to do this, to know he was out there somewhere but not be able to reach him, hold him and be with him? Perhaps the demon who'd cursed Brianna had really sent her to hell since a life without the person you loved most would be worse then any Hell Kagome could think of. "I found Brianna and I'm pretty sure it's her, oh Inu yasha it's no wonder Sesshoumaru was and is the way he is. I never bothered to see things from his point of view before but he must have suffered so much."

"What do you mean?" Inu yasha asked as he continued to hold her close, stroking his clawed hand through her hair while she spoke, wondering what on earth the other woman had said to make Kagome so concerned about his brother who she'd never really gotten along with at all. Not to say he did either but sometimes he got the feeling his brother got along better with Kagome then with himself. "What did Brianna say to you?"

"She told me about how she ended up cursed and watching over Sesshoumaru before she was banished to be born again in my world." Kagome said quietly, nuzzling closer to Inu yasha's neck, feeling the need to show more affection then normal. "I know how hard it was for you as a child to be a half demon here, not belonging in the demon world or the human world but I never stopped to think about what Sesshoumaru's childhood must have been like. I never thought what it must have been like for him with a father who was never around because he had another family and a mother who was being cheated on and had an extreme hatred of humans that only grew with time. Brianna said that his mother took her bitterness out on Sesshoumaru and did everything she could to make Sesshoumaru hate them, his father never even interfering with the teachings. I always blamed him for his actions but if you grow up being taught to think a certain way then can you really blame him for believing what he believes? And to learn that his father preferred to spend his time with your mother instead of him, that must have hurt him so much. He didn't really have anyone who cared but Brianna and when she was gone, on the same day he lost the rest of his family..he was all alone with no one at all. No one to comfort him or even show any feeling towards him that he needed."

* * *

"Yeah, I never really thought about it that way before." Inu yasha said in surprise having never really bothered to look deeper then the surface of his brother's actions. He'd simple assumed it was the fact that they shared blood and that his was tainted that caused Sesshoumaru's deep hatred but the way Kagome put it, that really wasn't it at all. A part of it perhaps but at the core it was all about their father and how their father had treated them. Their father had preferred his mother's presence and in doing so had neglected his real family, Sesshoumaru and his mother, their father's mate. He didn't remember their father really except from what his mother had told him but Sesshoumaru would, just as his older brother would remember finding out about the affair and that their father wasn't the perfect demon he had thought him to be. Not to mention the fact that if Sesshoumaru's mother had been anything like the Sesshoumaru Inu yasha knew it was no wonder that his brother had turned out so hard and full of darkness. "It looks like our father has a lot to answer for as yet. Some how though I get the feeling trying to be his brother would result in me being in need of medical attention after." 


	13. Rest in Peace

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else so just remember to give credit and flames where they're due. Thanks very much for reading and please review because I'd love to hear from you.

The conclusion has finally arrived, sorry this took so long to get done. I lost interest in it and as it was only supposed to be three chapters I sort of let reviews go to my head to lengthen it when I shouldn't have. So this ending is a little abrupt but hopefully it will be okay. For a much better Inu yasha fic, check out my other one, This Can't Be. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

Rest in Peace

A week later Kagome returned to her world for a friend's birthday party, hoping that she'd have time to drop in on Brianna so that she could talk with her some more. If the slayer was still around that was. Their last meeting hadn't exactly gone smooth after all and she was pretty sure that she wasn't exactly on Brianna's top ten list of people she'd like to see any time soon. Sesshoumaru would definitely be number one on that list, Kagome thought, swinging herself over the side of the well with ease. Adjusting the hat she wore to cover her ears Kagome made a mental note to pin the hat to her head if possible to make sure it stayed put. The last thing she needed was for it to fall off and everyone to see her demon ears. Shaking her head at the thought Kagome grabbed her pack off the ground and sticking her head out the door saw no one around to greet her. She couldn't smell anyone close by either though there was definitely the smells of food being cooked coming from the house. Her stomach rumbling in response Kagome was out the door in a flash, automatically closing it behind her before running across the lawn towards the house. Letting herself in she left her stuff by the door than headed straight for the kitchen, following her nose so to speak. Finding her mother there, busy fiddling with some sort of sauce Kagome smiled, the smile widening as her mother turned her head to smile back at her. Walking over Kagome gave her a quick hug, soothed by the smell that was uniquely mother to her. "Hi, Mom."

* * *

"Hello to you too." Hugging her daughter back she smiled at her daughter, so grown up now. How time flew, especially when your daughter had discovered a time barrier at the age of fifteen, she thought with a smile She didn't get to see her daughter often anymore and it was always a treat to be looked forward to, now more than ever. "And how is my son in law?" She teased, winking at her daughter as she enjoyed the sight of Kagome going bright red.

"Mother!" Knowing her mother had said that just to embarrass her Kagome deliberately turned her attention to studying what was on the stove. She was still getting used to the idea of being Inu yasha's mate without her mother referring to him as her son in law already "Inu yasha and the others are fine." She added, since she knew her mother genuinely wanted to know and cared. Though Inu yasha was the only one of her family from the Feudal Era her mother had met more than once Kagome had told her all about Shippou, Miroku, Kirara and Sango even before Halloween.

"That's good. Inu yasha hasn't picked too many fights lately then?"

"A few but he's been pretty good about that lately. Things have quieted down so much since Naraku died that there aren't nearly as many problem demons out there for him to fight as there used to be. I think he's hoping to go off on another journey soon, since he's dealt with all the problem demons nearby. You know how he gets antsy when he hasn't been fighting much."

"That boy does love a fight." Her mother agreed, amused by her son in law's hotheadedness. Technically Inu yasha wasn't her son in law legally but she thought of him as such and had expected it years before the half demon had given her daughter that ring. There had always been something in his golden eyes when he'd looked at Kagome that had told her all she needed to know on the subject. Her daughter was loved and that was all that was important. Plus her grandchildren might have puppy ears and wouldn't that be absolutely adorable?

"So what's new with you, Mom?" Kagome asked, lowering the temperature on the stove for her mother. There really was nothing like coming home to a home cooked meal made by your mother, she thought, inhaling the rich scents.

"Oh nothing really, just the same old things. Though I did have quite a surprise a couple of days ago actually. That girl came by, Brianna was it? She wanted to talk to you but you'd already gone back to Inu yasha's time of course. She seemed quite disappointed, even when I told her you'd be back today for Hikaru's birthday party today."

"Brianna came here to see me?" Visibly surprised Kagome didn't know what to think about that unexpected piece of news. What could she have wanted? Maybe to pass along a message to Sesshoumaru for her? But what kind of message could she possibly send to him that wouldn't make things worse rather than better? "Did she say why she wanted to see me?"

"I asked her that and she said it wasn't important though I got the feeling it was. I invited her in for tea and we talked a little but she didn't bring her reason for coming up no matter how much I hinted in that area. She was quite interested about Sesshoumaru and what you had told me about him. Thankfully you had told me about her connection to him so I tried to focus only on his good points rather than all the terrible things he did before he settled down to be a proper parent to that little girl of his."

Settled down wouldn't be the word she'd used and she was pretty sure that if Sesshoumaru ever heard someone refer to him as Rin's father he'd blow a gasket right before he ripped the person's spine right out of their back. Yeah, that would not go over well with the Lord of the West. Good thing her mother would never meet the icy full demon. "What sort of good things about him did you tell her?" Kagome asked instead, curious since she didn't bring Sesshoumaru up a lot. Well other than to rave about how gorgeous he was a few times. Even when he was trying to kill you, you couldn't help but notice he was more beautiful than any man had the right to be. Not that she'd ever admit that to anyone who wasn't female. Men like Miroku and Inu yasha just wouldn't get it. Inu yasha especially.

* * *

"Well mostly I just repeated everything Rin said about how great he is to her. I know she's biased but I thought it couldn't hurt for Brianna to know that there was someone looking out for him, even if she is only a child. Her face lights up every time she talks about her Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Yeah, she really does worship the ground Sesshoumaru walks on." Kagome agreed. "He has saved her life several times, so I guess that it's only natural that she overlooks so many of his faults." She knew that Sesshoumaru had even given Rin the chance to leave him to live with other humans, even though he was always talking about her like she was a possession that belonged to him. Rin's was probably the only opinion Sesshoumaru seriously considered, even if it was only to humor her. And he did humor her, even though he himself didn't have a sense of humor that she was aware of. At least she'd never seen him laugh in all the years she'd known him. She didn't know what she would do if she did ever hear him laugh. Maybe go into cardiac arrest?

Smiling Kagome's mother nodded her head. "And even if Inu yasha's brother wouldn't win brother of the year, you said they're getting along better right?"

"Yeah, sort of. They've reached the point where they aren't issuing death threats every time they meet anymore. Sesshoumaru's even left Rin with us a few times to baby sit her since everyone knows Jaken is hopeless in that area. Really, I can't figure out why Jaken doesn't realize that Sesshoumaru only keeps him around as a source of amusement. Of all the demons Sesshoumaru could have serving under him, picking Jaken makes no sense. I mean he's more than a little pathetic with an ego even bigger than Inu yasha's."

"Or maybe Sesshoumaru keeps him around because this Jaken is completely dependent upon him, the way Rin is. Some people need to be needed the way others need food and water." Was her mother's wise reply. "It sounds to me like Rin and this Jaken are all Sesshoumaru has in terms of family, at least in the past before he reached better terms with Inu yasha. Maybe amusement has nothing to do with it."

Surprised Kagome couldn't argue that it couldn't be it. It did explain why he kept Rin around too. "Well anyway, I'm glad you told her how good a relationship Rin and Sesshoumaru had. I'm sure it comforted her to know that he'd found someone to keep him from turning out too evil."

"Well I'm not sure she believed everything I said but I do think she seemed happier than when she'd come in."

"Well anyway, I'm going to put my stuff away, put in those contacts to hide my eye color and then I'll come down and help you with the rest of lunch." Kagome offered, stretching her arms above her head to work out the kinks a little. You'd think after all these years she'd have gotten used to sleeping outside or on hard wooden floors. But no, give her her own bed any day.

"Sounds good to me. I didn't make much though, since I know you'll stuff yourself silly at Hikaru's party tonight."

"No doubt."

* * *

And she did. The next morning, on the way to the well, Kagome felt slightly ill having eaten way too much the night before. This was what happened when one of your friends married a professional chef, Kagome thought with a grimace, rubbing her tummy soothingly. Oh well, at least she didn't have to worry about gaining weight from the night of gorging. Thanks to the half demon blood, her metabolism was always in high gear and ready to absorb whatever fatty food she happened to ingest. A definite plus to her way of thinking. Doing her best not to think of all the goodies her mother had put into her bag to take back with her Kagome opened the door and than stared blankly at the sight before her. Sitting on the side of the well was Brianna, or at least she thought it was Brianna. The woman looked to be made of an almost silvery mist and Kagome could see through her in certain spots. "Brianna?" Kagome asked cautiously, setting the bag down at her side as she came closer, her senses on high alert. She couldn't even smell the other woman, though she could see her plainly before her. The hairs on the back of her neck were sticking up as it was.

"Hello, Kagome. Did your party go well?" The silvery mist asked, the voice definitely Brianna's.

"Uhm...yeah. What happened to you? Are you okay?" Kagome asked, reaching out a hand that simply passed through the shoulder she'd been attempting to touch. Drawing her hand back she gave the ghostly figure an apologetic look.

"Don't worry about it. As to what happened, I don't really know. This started to happen after I left your mother's house and it's getting progressively worse. I imagine I'll disappear completely before the day is up. I get the feeling the only reason I'm still visible is that I wanted to talk to you." She was a very stubborn woman after all and she generally got what she wanted.

"Yeah, my mom said you'd been by." Kagome agreed, not sure what to think. Could Brianna be crossing over? Or was she perhaps shifting to another time period in the past or future? It had been a while since she'd dealt with the living dead and she'd never seen something like this happen before.

"She's a nice woman, you're lucky to have her." Changing the subject, since she could practically feel time slipping through her formless hands Brianna got down to the business at hand. "The reason I stopped by was that I wanted to ask you whether or not you thought Sesshoumaru would be happy, in the future I mean. I know he isn't really right now but your mother said he's getting more sociable and behaving better towards Inu yasha and I wanted to know if you think it's possible they'll end up as real brothers, not just in blood. Rin will die and leave him in a few decades and that toad of his is next to worthless. I wanted to know if he'd have someone, once the child is gone, who will care about him."

"I think by the time Rin is done with him she'll have made a man out of him." Kagome answered honestly, not sure how else to put it. "He's a better person for having known her and I think that if anyone can open his heart to others it will be her. I don't know if he and Inu yasha can ever be brothers, but I think they could be friends."

* * *

"A human child, how ironic is that." Brianna sighed, her lips curving into a small smile. "It's good to know that I was right then. I've spent the last couple of days trying to figure out why this is happening to me and I think you've just answered that question."

"I have?"

"Your mother told me how much better he's doing now and I think that somewhere inside me I accepted the fact that he doesn't need me anymore. I think I fought to exist for so long because for some reason I believed that he needed me to survive so that I could find my way back to him. But he doesn't need me, I was never meant to be the one to save him. She was. And I think I needed to realize, just how badly I wanted to be the one to save him. How much I wanted to give him back the gift he gave me, when he made me his friend." Shaking her head at Kagome's protests Brianna lifted a hand for silence. "I'm not angry, or upset that I'm not the one, Kagome. I'm..content...knowing that there is someone who managed to find him and continue what I started. And it feels good, to know that in the end it wasn't for my benefit that I lingered, but for his. All this time I thought it was the curse that kept me alive, but really, I think it was my love for him that gave me the strength to pull it off this long. Now that I know he's never going to be alone again...everything is okay now."

"So you're going to heaven now?" Kagome asked, watching Brianna go dimmer and dimmer, so that she was more of a glowing mass than a person's form anymore.

"Or where ever they send people like me. Tell that little girl to take good care of him, or she'll answer to me when we meet again." Her voice was faint now, barely a whisper that Kagome's keen canine ears could here. "Good bye, Kagome. It was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you too." Kagome whispered back, watching Brianna completely fade away in front of her. "And don't worry, we'll take good care of him for you. I promise."

* * *

As soon as Kagome got back she informed Inu yasha that she had to go talk to Sesshoumaru and she was going whether he came with her or not. Of course he wasn't thrilled by the idea but he wasn't about to let her go without him either. Everyone else came with them, half out of concern for their friends and the other half out of curiosity as to just why Kagome was so insistent on finding Inu yasha's half brother. She was very closed mouth about it, saying only that she had a message she had to deliver, presumably from Brianna. It took them two weeks to track him down and when they did Kagome insisted on speaking to him alone with the others in calling distance should anything go wrong.

Watching her walk towards him Sesshoumaru let her come to him, vaguely curious since the rest of his brother's bunch, including Inu yasha's were hanging back. Now why weren't they coming with her, he wondered, raising a questioning eyebrow in her direction as she stopped a couple meters away from him.

"Brianna passed over. She said she could finally rest in peace knowing that you weren't alone here and that you had family who cared about you."

Family? He had no family. Well other than Inu yasha and that was a connection through blood, not the emotional connection she was speaking of. Perhaps his brother's mate had simply lied to Brianna to give his former friend the peace she needed to cross over to the next life. Kagome did seem the type. So Brianna had crossed over for real this time, to be with her own family and friends from her time as a human being. Good, he was glad.

"She said to tell Rin that she appreciated her taking care of you too." Kagome added, watching him closely. She could rarely tell what went on behind those golden eyes and today was no exception. Unfortunately.

"Take care of me?" Sesshoumaru repeated, trying to figure out where she'd gotten that outrageous idea from. As if a small, puny human like Rin could take care of him. It was the other way around.

"I'd explain that to you but then you'd do everything possible to thwart her." Was Kagome's response, a small smile on her face. "I just wanted to let you know that she was at peace, and that you do have a family, even if most of the time you don't want to acknowledge us."

Looking over her shoulder Sesshoumaru's eyes went from person to person, surprised when the slayer nodded in acknowledgment before his eyes finally landed on his brother. His gaze staying there for several moments he finally looked back over at Kagome, who was watching him expectedly. "And why would I want any of you as family?"

"Well you know what they say about family, Sesshoumaru. You're stuck with them whether you like it or not."

"Feh."


End file.
